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A family of five, including two doctors and their three young children, have been confirmed among the 242 victims of the Air India Flight 171 disaster — one of the deadliest aviation tragedies in recent Indian history.
Dr Komal Vyas, formerly employed at a hospital in Udaipur, was travelling to London to reunite with her husband, Dr Prateek Joshi, who had already relocated to the UK. The couple’s children — five-year-old twin sons Nakul and Pradyut, and their eight-year-old daughter Miraya — were also aboard the ill-fated flight.
The family were among 53 British nationals on board the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, which crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad in western India. The aircraft was bound for London Gatwick and was due to land at approximately 6.30pm BST.
A New Chapter Cut Tragically Short
According to colleagues and friends, Dr Vyas had recently resigned from her post in Udaipur and was embarking on a new chapter with her family in the UK. “She was so excited to begin this new life,” said a former colleague. “They were a close-knit family, full of warmth.”
The Dreamliner issued a mayday call moments after takeoff before crashing into a densely populated area near Ahmedabad airport. The wreckage struck accommodation for medical interns at BJ Medical College, where between 50 and 60 people are also feared to have died.
Search for Black Boxes Continues
Emergency services rushed to the scene as black smoke billowed from the crash site. Investigators are still working to recover the aircraft’s black boxes, which hold crucial flight and voice data that could explain what caused the disaster.
Air India confirmed that the aircraft, registered as VT-ANB, was carrying 169 Indian nationals, 53 Britons, seven Portuguese citizens, and one Canadian.
This incident marks the first known crash of a Boeing 787 aircraft, according to the Aviation Safety Network.
Leaders React to “Heartbreaking” Tragedy
Tributes have poured in from around the world. UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer called the crash “devastating,” while Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the event as “heartbreaking beyond words.”
Buckingham Palace said King Charles III is being kept updated on the unfolding situation.
The death of the Joshi-Vyas family has resonated deeply across India and the UK’s medical communities, with tributes highlighting both doctors’ commitment to public service and their “unshakable devotion” to family.
Follow continuing updates on the Air India crash at M10News.com.
By F. Dayo Olusola | M10News.com | Category: World|12 June 2025
