A doctor couple and their three young children were among the victims of the devastating plane crash in Ahmedabad on Thursday, which claimed the lives of nearly all 242 people on board.
According to a report by global news channel, NDTV, on Thursday, the tragedy has left the families and community in mourning, with a smiling selfie taken aboard the ill-fated aircraft now serving as a haunting reminder of their final moments.
Dr Komi Vyas, who previously worked at a hospital in Udaipur, had recently quit her job and was relocating to London to join her husband, Dr Prateek Joshi. The couple and their children — twin boys Nakul and Pradyut, aged five, and their eight-year-old daughter Miraya — were passengers on Air India Flight 171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner en route to London.
According to hospital sources, both Dr Vyas and Dr Joshi had worked at Pacific Hospital in Udaipur. “Komi had quit her job recently to join her husband in London,” said a spokesperson from the hospital. Dr Joshi had travelled to Banswara earlier in the week to accompany his family on the journey.
The family left for Ahmedabad a day before the flight. A cousin of Dr Joshi, Nayan, said, “Prateek had come here just two days ago to take his wife and children with him. Several other members of both families went to see them off.”
The selfie, taken by Dr Joshi before takeoff, shows the couple smiling across the aisle from their three children. The image captured what was meant to be a joyful new chapter in their lives.
The crash occurred just 32 seconds after takeoff at 1:38 p.m., when the aircraft began descending and exploded in a fireball. Experts suggest the aircraft may have failed to develop enough thrust.
“The take-off was perfect and just short of taking the gear up, the aircraft started descending, which can happen only in case the engine loses power or the aircraft stops developing lift,” Captain Saurabh Bhatnagar, a former senior pilot, told NDTV.
Of the 242 people on board — 230 passengers, 10 crew members, and two pilots — only one survivor has been confirmed: 40-year-old Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a British-Indian national returning to the UK.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his sorrow over the crash.
“The tragedy in Ahmedabad has stunned and saddened us. It is heartbreaking beyond words. In this sad hour, my thoughts are with everyone affected by it,” he posted on X, adding that he has been in contact with ministers and authorities to assist those impacted.
(Punch)
