Air India flight 171 crashed into a residential area near the airport in Ahmedabad on June 12, 2025. One of the victims was Arjun Patoliya, a Briton who had visited India to scatter the ashes of his late wife, Bharti. He was returning to their children, aged four and eight, when the tragedy struck.
Two children were orphaned due to the incident. According to Anjana Patel, mayor of Harrow in London, “The father had gone to India for rituals, and was about to return. He left behind two girls who are now orphaned.”
Up to 279 people died when a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed en route to Gatwick Airport, including passengers, crew and some on the ground. 52 Britons were among the dead, 20 of whom are said to have previously attended the Siddhashram Shakti Centre in Harrow.
At a multi-faith vigil, Patel called for support for those left behind. “We don’t have enough words to describe the pain of the families. All we can do is pray for them.”
Only Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a 40-year-old Briton, was reported to be the sole survivor of the crash.
