France: Man given jewels he found presumably from plane crash that killed Homi J Bhabha

Eight years after a mountaineer found a box filled with emeralds, rubies, and sapphires, that was presumably on flight that h taken life of Homi Jehangir Bhabha - far of India's nuclear programme, jewels were divided between climber and local officials. box was discovered in 2013 from a glacier near France's Mount Blanc, that saw two Air India planes crash in 1950 and in 1966. 

Authorities believe precious stones are likely to have come from Boeing 707 flight, travelling from Mumbai to New York that crashed on south-west face of Mont Blanc on 24 January 1966, Guardian reported. Homi J Bhabha was aboard 1966 flight that killed nearly 117 people. 

Mountain climbers have consistently discovered wreckage, cargo, as well as human remains from two planes throughout years. Guardian report quoted Chamonix mayor Eric Fournier as saying that stones were shared this week in two equivalent amounts, with each valued at approximately €150,000 (Rs 1.27 crore).

Notably, India h acquired a bag of diplomatic mail from flight in September 2012 after previous year's melting of ice from Mont Blanc's Bossons glacier exposed several copies of Indian newspapers with helines from time when Indira Gandhi became Prime Minister of India, Guardian reported. 

Mountaineer who discovered jewels lauded for his integrity

As per media reports, stones were stashed in a metal box on Air India flight that h crashed in barren countryside over five deces ago. Fournier said that he was extremely happy as situation h been resolved, especially for mountaineer, whom he applauded for his "integrity" in reporting those valuable discoveries to authorities as is legally required. 

mountain climber told Le Parisien newspaper earlier this year that he did not regret being honest and informing his discoveries to authorities, Guardian reported. mountaineer furr revealed that after learning he would be awarded some of jewels, he h decided to use some of it to remodel his apartment. 

(Image: Unsplash/Representative)