Indian-Origin London Man Dies in Air India Crash After Fulfilling Late Wife’s Final Wish

Ahmedabad: In a deeply tragic incident, a London-based Indian man, Arjun Manubhai Patolia, lost his life in the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad on Thursday, just days after fulfilling his late wife’s final wish in Gujarat.

The 38-year-old father of two had travelled from the UK to Vadiya village in Amreli district, Gujarat, to immerse the ashes of his wife, Bharatiben, who had died a week earlier in London. Her final request was for her ashes to be brought back to her birthplace in India a wish Arjun honored with love.

Carrying her floral urn, Arjun performed the funeral rites with his extended family. After completing the ceremonies, he planned to return home to London, where his two young daughters, aged 4 and 8, were waiting for him.

On Thursday afternoon, he boarded Air India flight AI-171, bound for London Gatwick Airport. Tragically, just minutes after take-off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad, the aircraft crashed into a residential area near Meghani Nagar, striking the hostel building of a medical college.

The crash claimed the lives of 265 people, including Arjun Patolia, making it one of the deadliest aviation disasters in Indian history. Only one passenger survived the crash.

Devastation Captured on CCTV

CCTV footage from the area showed the aircraft losing altitude rapidly, with its landing gear already deployed, moments before it crashed and exploded on impact. The flight was carrying 242 people including 230 passengers and 12 crew members. Among them were 169 Indian nationals, 53 Britons, 7 Portuguese, and 1 Canadian.

“It’s heartbreaking. We have lost both of them in one week,” said Krish, a family acquaintance, speaking of the back-to-back loss of both Arjun and his wife.

On Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the crash site and later met with the sole survivor and other injured passengers at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital. A team of 70 to 80 doctors is assisting with post-mortem procedures, and so far, five victims have been identified and their remains handed over to their families.

Authorities are still investigating the cause of the crash. Forensic experts and aviation authorities remain at the site, and a formal probe is underway. While Air India has expressed condolences and is offering support to the victims’ families, it has not yet released a detailed statement on the cause of the accident.

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