Rajasthan Family’s London Dream Ends in Tragedy: Five Among 241 Killed in Air India Plane Crash

A family of five from Rajasthan’s Banswara district was among the 241 people killed in the devastating Air India crash in Ahmedabad on Thursday. The victims, identified as Pratik Joshi, a software engineer, his wife Dr Komi Vyas, and their three children, including five-year-old twin sons and an eight-year-old daughter were en route to London to begin a new life together.

The family had boarded Flight AI171, which crashed shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. The aircraft, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner bound for London Gatwick, went down in the Meghaninagar area, bursting into flames upon impact.

Pratik Joshi had been working in London for six years and had recently arranged for his family to join him there permanently. His wife, Dr Komi Vyas, a medical practitioner based in Udaipur, had resigned from her job just two days before the flight. The move was meant to mark a fresh start for the family.

A selfie clicked by the family on board the ill-fated aircraft has since surfaced online. It shows the couple smiling, seated together on one side of the aisle, while their children — twin boys Nakul and Pradyut, and daughter Miraya sit across, joy and anticipation evident on their faces.

“They were a warm, progressive couple who only wanted the best for their children,” said a close family friend. “The entire town is grieving.”

Dr Komi Vyas previously worked at Pacific Hospital in Udaipur. According to a hospital spokesperson, Dr Vyas had recently quit her position to relocate with her children.

According to reports, Prateek returned to Banswara just days earlier to accompany his family on the journey to London. “They left for Ahmedabad yesterday. Pratik had come here just two days ago to take his wife and children with him. Several family members had gone to see them off,” said a family member. The couple had been married for ten years. 

The Joshi-Vyas family is among 10 confirmed victims from Rajasthan. The state has plunged into mourning, with local authorities visiting the family’s residence in Banswara. DSP Gopichand Meena reached the home shortly after the news broke and is coordinating with relatives and officials.

The crash has been described as one of the worst in India’s aviation history. The aircraft was carrying 230 passengers and 12 crew members, and only one person, a British national of Indian origin survived.

Witnesses reported that the aircraft appeared unstable before crashing into a medical college complex. The explosion was so intense that emergency services faced major challenges.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, along with Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu and Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, visited the crash site on Friday. Shah acknowledged the severity of the blaze and the near impossibility of rescue due to the extreme heat generated by 1.25 lakh litres of burning aviation fuel.

He further stated that nearly all bodies have been recovered and DNA identification is underway. “We are in the process of collecting the DNA of the victims’ family members. We have informed all families of passengers living abroad. As soon as possible, we will collect their DNA samples too,” Shah added.

Air India officially confirmed that 241 people were killed in the plane crash. Taking to social media platform 'X', the airline said the flight had 242 people on board, comprising 230 passengers and 12 crew members. “Air India confirms that flight AI171, operating from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick on 12 June 2025, was involved in an accident,” the airline wrote. “The 12-year-old Boeing 787-8 aircraft departed from Ahmedabad at 1338 hrs, carrying 230 passengers and 12 crew. The aircraft crashed shortly after take-off. We regret to inform that, of the 242 aboard, there are 241 confirmed fatalities. The sole survivor is being treated in a hospital," the statement added. 

The Ministry of External Affairs is working closely with the embassies of countries whose nationals were aboard the flight. Among the deceased were 53 British nationals, 7 Portuguese citizens, and 1 Canadian.