Family tragedy: last selfie before fatal plane crash in India

Family tragedy: last selfie before fatal plane crash in India

On June 12, 2025, one of the most tragic aircraft accidents in aviation history occurred. The Air India Flight 171, a scheduled flight from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, crashed and exploded just 32 seconds after takeoff. There were 242 people on board, including the doctor couple Prateek Joshi and Komi Vyas and their three children, who were looking forward to a new life in Great Britain.

Prateek Joshi, a distinguished radiologist, had recently prepared to move to the UK with his family, where he had been working at the University Hospital in Derby for four years. His wife Komi, who was previously a doctor in Udaipur, had quit her job. Her last shot before departure is of a happy family member, which unfortunately turned out to be her last selfie. Deceptively harmonious, numerous relatives said goodbye at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, without knowing that this would be a final farewell.

The accident and its consequences

The flight took off at a temperature of 40°C and reached a barometric altitude of 190 meters before contact with the control tower was lost. The plane crashed into a cafeteria building at the nearby B. J. Medical College in Ahmedabad. It was a devastating crash that killed 241 of the 242 people on board and at least 33 people on the ground. In addition, at least 50 people on the ground suffered injuries.

A British passenger was the only one to survive the crash. The Indian authorities have carried out a comprehensive investigation into the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) initiated. Both flight recorders were recovered the day after the accident and are now being analyzed to determine the exact causes of the crash. An emergency call was made shortly after takeoff, which illustrates the drama of the situation.

Grief and memories

There is great sadness in Derby, where Prateek Joshi worked. His colleague Rajeev Singh praised him as a cheerful and positive person and a respectable radiologist. This tragedy is a loss not only for the family, but also for the entire medical community, which has lost an outstanding professional.

The accident is part of an overarching trend in aviation. Despite this tragedy, statistics show that the number and severity of plane crashes have decreased in recent years. Loud Statista There were 233 deaths from plane crashes worldwide in 2022, while before the turn of the millennium there were over 1,000 victims annually. The overall accident rate in commercial aviation remains low compared to other modes of transportation.

However, the tragic incident shows that even in a relatively safe industry like aviation, tragedies can still happen and those left behind must continue to grieve for their loved ones. The coming to terms with it and the intensity of the grief are only heightened by the severity of the loss and the sudden manner in which it happened.