A family who had long been dreaming of moving abroad died in the Air India crash that on Thursday claimed the lives of over 200 people. Pratik Joshi, his wife Dr Komi Vyas, and their three children were flying from their hometown of Banswara for a fresh start in London when they were killed in the incident that has sent shockwaves around the world.
Mr Joshi, a software professional who had lived in London for six years, was bringing his family permanently to the UK on the doomed Air India plane, just two days after Dr Vyas had resigned from her physician job. The pair had been travelling with their five-year-old twin daughters and younger son when disaster struck. “The entire town is grieving,” a friend said, describing the couple as ambitious and forward-thinking.
Air India has confirmed that 241 of the 242 people onboard the Boeing 787 Dreamliner were killed, with British national Vishwash Kumar Ramesh the only survivor.
A spokesperson for the airline said: “The 12-year-old [plane] departed from Ahmedabad at 1:38pm, carrying 230 passengers and 12 crew.
“The aircraft crashed shortly after take-off. We regret to inform that, of the 242 onboard, there are 241 confirmed fatalities. The sole survivor is being treated in a hospital.”
Mr Ramesh, who has lived in London for 20 years, said he heard a “loud noise” after the plane took off, followed by a crash that “all happened so quickly”.
“When I got up, there were bodies all around me,” he added. “I was scared. I stood up and ran. There were pieces of the plane all around me. Someone grabbed hold of me and put me in an ambulance and brought me to hospital.”
The Boeing was carrying 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese nationals and one Canadian national.
“Air India offers its deepest condolences to the families of the deceased,” the firm’s statement continued. “[It] is now giving its full cooperation to the authorities investigating this incident.”
