An Indian family of five who boarded the ill-fated Air India 787-8 Dreamliner for a better future together in London had little idea that their in-flight selfie would be the last family portrait before getting killed with the rest of the passengers in the tragic plane crash in Ahmedabad on June 12.
Dr Komi Vyas and Dr Prateek Joshi used to work at the Pacific Hospital in Udaipur, Rajasthan. But when Dr Joshi moved to London some time ago, the entire family had waited to be united again and have a future in the British capital.
Dr. Joshi returned to Banswara in Rajasthan earlier this week to take the family with him after his wife quit her job in Udaipur, said reports.
The couple’s twin boys, Nakul and Pradyut, and their daughter, Miraya, also joined them.
The selfie, taken by Dr Joshi on the aircraft, shows all happy faces with him and his wife seated on one side, and their 5-year-old twin boys and 8-year-old daughter sitting across the aisle.
The boys try their hardest to smile for the camera, while their elder sister beams.
Neighbours said Dr Prateek’s father is a renowned radiologist in the city, while Komi’s father was an officer in the Public Works Department.
They left for Ahmedabad on Wednesday to take the flight to London.
Dr Komi brother, Prabuddha, told the media that she had married Dr Prateek Joshi ten years ago.
Air India flight crash
In one of the worst-ever aviation tragedies in India, an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, en route to London with 242 people onboard, crashed immediately after take-off from Ahmedabad airport on Thursday afternoon. All except one died in the crash.
One person, the passenger of seat No. 11A, survived the crash miraculously, the Ahmedabad Police said.
AI171, carrying 242 people, went down almost immediately after departure at 1:38 PM, sending up plumes of smoke near the crash site.
It hit a medical college hostel, leaving five students dead as well.
The flight was carrying 169 Indian passengers, 53 British nationals, 7 Portuguese citizens, and one Canadian.
Dense smoke was seen rising from the Dharpur area near Meghaninagar in Ahmedabad, prompting the immediate deployment of fire brigades and emergency response units. Authorities have yet to determine the cause of the crash.
A video of the aircraft showed it was struggling to gain altitude before it slammed on the ground and exploded in a massive ball of fire at 1.38 pm. It was loaded with fuel since it was flying a long distance to London.
Shortly after take-off, the pilot sent out a mayday call. There was no response after that to repeated calls from the air traffic controller, according to reports.
