Air India crash victim’s relative ‘can’t be at peace’ until root cause known

4 hours ago Share Save Johanna Chisholm BBC News Share Save

Family handout Manju Mahesh Patel, 79, was on the Gatwick-bound plane when it crashed in Ahmedabad shortly after take-off on 12 June

The granddaughter of a victim of the Air India Flight 171 crash has said a preliminary report into the incident was “incomplete” and that she “can’t be at peace” without those responsible being held accountable. “It does bring us a little bit closer to understanding what happened,” Ria Patel told BBC’s Newshour, but added: “I want to be able to have closure.” She is one of several voices in the UK to stress the need for answers over root causes of the crash, which occurred shortly after take-off in Ahmendabad on 12 June. A preliminary report, released on Friday, found fuel to the engines of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner was cut moments after take-off. The investigation is ongoing. Manju Mahesh Patel, 79, was one of the 260 people killed – most of whom were passengers – when the London-bound plane fell into a densely populated neighbourhood in the western Indian city.

Her granddaughter found reading the report “quite heartbreaking”, as there were images from the immediate aftermath of the crash – including the wreckage – that were difficult to process. “For me, I can’t sort of stop thinking about what my grandma’s final moments must have looked like,” she said from her home in Buckinghamshire. Ms Patel’s grandmother had been staying in Ahmedabad for the prior few months, carrying out charity work at a temple. Manju’s son had been due pick her up at Gatwick that night, and she was said to be looking forward to seeing her four grandchildren in the UK. “This was the chance to reconnect with her after 10 years,” Ms Patel said. “Knowing that we won’t be able to see her again, it is really tough.” Data gathered from inside the plane suggests both of its fuel control switches moved from the “run” to the “cut-off” position in the space of a second shortly after take-off. These switches are typically only turned off when a plane has landed and made it to the gate, or during emergency situations. India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) did not specify whether an emergency situation had taken place on board in its preliminary report. The cut-off then caused both engines to lose thrust, the AAIB report found.

For Ms Patel, the preliminary report still points to several theories and its findings are incomplete. But she stressed how “extremely important” it was for her and others to find out what the underlying cause of the crash was. “I feel like I can’t really be at peace with what’s happened, unless I understand where the accountability lies.” Sameer Rafik, a cousin of crash victim Faizan Rafik, is similarly calling for more details to be brought forward. “The Indian Government should release the cockpit audio for the families who lost loved ones,” he said. Only after that “we will then know what happened”, he told the BBC.

Sameer Rafik, cousin of Air India victim Faizan Rafik, wants the cockpit recordings from the crash to be released

There were 53 UK nationals on board the Air India flight when it crashed. Dr Mario Donadi, a friend of another victim killed in the Air India crash, described the initial findings a “huge slap in the face” on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. His “dear colleague”, Dr Prateek Joshi, had been travelling back to the UK with his family. He took a picture of himself, his wife and three kids mere moments before take-off. “How [can] something so trivial [as] a simple switch being deactivated lead to such a loss of life, of such huge dreams?” Dr Donadi asked.

Supplied Dr Prateek Joshi took a selfie along with wife, Dr Komi Vyas, and their three children just moments before take-off

‘Was this avoidable?’: Families of Air India crash victims seek answers

10 hours ago Share Save Samira Hussain South Asia correspondent Share Save

BBC

For days, Imtiyaz Ali had been anxiously awaiting the findings of a preliminary report into last month’s Air India crash that killed his brother, sister-in-law, and their two young children. When the report was finally released early on Saturday in India, he read it carefully – only to be disappointed by what he said “reads like a product description”. “Other than the pilots’ final conversation, there’s nothing in it that really points to what caused the crash.” He hopes more details will be made public in the months to come. “This matters to us,” Ali said. “We want to know exactly what happened. It won’t change anything for us now, we continue grieving – just as we have since that day. But at least we’ll have some answers.”

Javid and Maryam Ali with their children Zayn and Amani, who died in the crash

The London-bound Air India flight 171 crashed into a suburban neighbourhood in the western Indian city of Ahmedabad shortly after take-off on 12 June, killing 241 of the 242 people on board and 19 others on the ground. A preliminary investigative report released on Saturday in India said fuel to the engines of the plane cut off just seconds after take-off. The circumstances around how or why that happened remain unclear. The report said that in recovered cockpit voice recordings, one of the pilots can be heard asking “why did you cut off?” – to which the other pilot replied he “did not do so”. A final report into the crash is expected in 12 months.

Shweta Parihar, 41, also wants answers. Her husband, Abhinav Parishar, 43, was on his way back to London. He was meant to fly later in the month but decided to come home early and ended up on the ill-fated flight. She laments that no investigation will ever bring her husband back. “For those of us that have lost loved ones, we’ve lost them, they are not coming back,” she said. “What will they do in the investigation, tell us how it happened? The life of how many people, 250 passengers, what will they say, sorry? Everything is done, everything is finished.” Parihar becomes emotional when she talks about the impact of the loss on her 11-year-old son Vihaan. “He misses his dad badly,” she said tearfully. Vihaan tells her that he won’t fly Air India ever again.

Abhinav and Shweta Parihar with their son Vihaan

Badasab Syed, 59, lost his brother, sister-in-law, and their two children in the crash. He was hoping for answers from the preliminary report, but after watching the news, said he was left with more questions. “The report mentions the pilots discussing who turned off fuel and a possible issue with the fuel control switch. We don’t know, what does that mean? Was this avoidable?”

Inayat and Nafeesa Syed pictured with their son and daughter

Investigators find second flight data recorder from Air India crash site

Investigators are trying to piece together why the Air India plane crashed seconds after take-off

It is a vital tool in air crash investigations, helping experts reconstruct the flight’s final moments. The first EAFR was recovered from the debris on Friday.

The EAFR, or ‘black box’, captures audio from the cockpit, including pilot conversations and alarms, and logs crucial flight data like altitude, speed and engine performance.

The London-bound Air India aircraft, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, crashed soon after taking off on Thursday from the western Indian city of Ahmedabad. At least 270 people have been killed .

Investigators have recovered the second Enhanced Airborne Flight Recorder (EAFR) from the crashed Air India flight, a key step in uncovering what caused last week’s deadly accident.

The black boxes, unlike the name suggests, are actually two bright orange devices designed to survive a crash. They are painted with reflective strips for easier recovery after a crash.

Dozens of families are waiting to collect the remains of their loved ones after DNA tests confirm a match

India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is leading the inquiry into the cause of the crash, helped by teams from the US and the UK.

On Sunday, officials from the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) surveyed the site of the plane crash.

“The AAIB has launched a detailed investigation, and the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is conducting a parallel probe under international protocols, since the aircraft is American-made,” a statement released on Sunday said.

Indian media outlets have reported, citing sources, that officials from Boeing and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) – the US aviation safety agency – also visited the site.

Separately, a high-level committee set up by the Indian government to examine the reasons behind the crash is expected to hold its first meeting on Monday.

The committee will submit a preliminary report within three months, the All India Radio said, and will propose new standard operating procedures (SOPs) to help prevent similar incidents in future.

As the investigation continues, families on the ground are still grappling with disbelief and trauma.

Less than a minute after taking off from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, the AI171 flight crashed into a doctors’ accommodation building at the BJ Medical College and Civil Hospital.

All but one of the 242 passengers and crew members were killed. Officials have also been trying to establish how many people were killed on the ground and continuing the slow process of matching DNA samples to confirm the victims’ identities.

Over the weekend, doctors said 270 bodies had been recovered from the site of the crash.

More than 90 victims have been identified through DNA matching, Dr Rajnish Patel of Ahmedabad’s Civil Hospital said on Monday. He added that 47 of the identified bodies have been sent to their families.

Among the identified victims is Vijay Rupani, the former chief minister of Gujarat, whose funeral will be held on Monday. Rupani, whose political career spanned more than 50 years, will be laid to rest with full state honours in Rajkot city.

For many other families, the agonising wait continues.

Officials told the BBC that the identification process has been slow and painstaking, as many of the bodies were badly burned in the crash and are being processed in small batches.

Mistry Jignesh, waiting outside the hospital for updates on his niece, told the BBC on Saturday that officials told him that it might take longer for them to hand over his niece’s remains as the search for bodies is still ongoing. He had earlier been told that the body would be handed over by Sunday, after the 72 hours it normally takes to complete DNA matching.

“When people are still missing, how can they complete the DNA process by tomorrow? What if my niece’s remains haven’t even been found? The wait is killing us,” he said.

Correction 24 June: The article has been edited to reflect that the plane carried combined unit flight recorders, not separate cockpit voice and flight data recorders.

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Family of Air India crash victims feel ‘abandoned’

16 June 2025 Share Save Leigh Boobyer BBC News, Gloucestershire Charlotte Scarr Reporting from Reporting from Ahmedabad Share Save

Family Handout Akeel Nanabawa, Hannaa Vorajee and their four-year-old daughter Sara died in the crash

The family of three Britons who died in the Air India plane crash are calling on the UK government to provide more support in India. Akeel Nanabawa, Hannaa Vorajee and Sara Nanabawa, aged four, were returning home to Gloucester when their plane ploughed into a residential area in Ahmedabad on Thursday. Akeel’s brother, Hamzah, said they have not received his body despite giving DNA and waiting three days. A family spokesperson added: “We’re not asking for miracles – we’re asking for presence, for compassion, for action. Right now, we feel utterly abandoned.” A Foreign Office spokesperson said there is an advice helpline and a support centre has been set up near the airport.

The plane was carrying 242 people when it crashed shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad airport, in western India, including 53 Britons. The sole surviving passenger was Briton Vishwash Kumar Ramesh. Mr Nanabawa said: “I need the UK government to come out by themselves, if they’ve given up all this big talk over in the UK, come out here and help.” He added there is no UK leadership in India, no medical team and no crisis professionals stationed at the hospital.

Hamzah Nanabawa has been waiting days to receive the bodies of his relatives

“No one from UK has even reached out to me, my family, to my sister in law’s family. Nobody has. So you’re saying no one from the foreign office in the UK or here reached out to us at all, nobody,” Mr Nanabawa said. “They haven’t done anything for us [or] what we wanted. You have to understand, this is the highest, highest incident in the UK’s history of 53 lives, and we are now on day four.” He added: “All I want is you guys to come and help and help my brother, my sister in law, my niece and all the other 53 people that were on that plane. “Come and help them, please. Because they are grieving. They are hurt. They haven’t got anybody. They [haven’t got any] structure, no structure at all.” UK air accident investigators are already in India and are assisting the Indian authorities, and UK forensic experts are there to support, a Foreign Office spokeswoman said. She added: “Our staff continue to work around the clock in the UK and India to support the families and loved ones of all those impacted by the crash. “We have set up a Reception Centre at the Ummed Hotel, near the Ahmedabad airport, and have a dedicated helpline to provide support and advice for the families and friends of British nationals.”

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Who are the victims of the Air India plane crash?

14 June 2025 Share Save Share Save

Reuters

All but one of those on board an Air India flight bound for London Gatwick that crashed shortly after take-off from the western Indian city of Ahmedabad on 12 June died. There were 242 passengers and crew on the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, including 169 Indian nationals, 53 Britons, seven Portuguese nationals and one Canadian, the airline confirmed. Many people living in a residential neighbourhood near the airport where the jet came down were also killed, taking the number of confirmed casualties to at least 270. They included a number of medical students staying in the area. One passenger, British national Vishwashkumar Ramesh, survived the crash and was treated in hospital for injuries. These are some of the people so far confirmed by the BBC to have died.

Akash Patni

Getty Images

Akash, 15, was the younger of two sons of tuk-tuk driver Suresh Patni. Akash was at the tea stall the family runs near the gate to a student hostel not far from the airport when the plane came crashing down. Suresh told reporters his wife tried to save their son, and had been burnt but she survived.

Hardik Avaiya and Vibhooti Patel

Supplied Hardik Avaiya and Vibhooti Patel were celebrating their engagement in India

A couple who went to India to celebrate their engagement have been named among the victims. Hardik Avaiya and his fiancee Vibhooti Patel were among those being remembered at a service in Leicester on Saturday. Dhaval Patel, who worked with Mr Avaiya, said: “We were on our way to pick him up when I got a call to say a plane to Gatwick had crashed in Ahmedabad. “So we immediately checked the ticket and matched the flight number and we just cried.”

Dhir and Heer Baxi

Sisters Dhir and Heer Baxi, both in their early 20s, were returning home to London on the flight, having visited India to surprise their grandmother for her birthday. Their cousin Ishan Baxi, who lives in Ahmedabad, told PA news agency the siblings had an “amazing aura” and had ambitions to “roam around the world”. Heer worked as a product manager and “loved statistics and finance”, while Dhir was a fashion designer who had studied at Parsons Paris art and design school, Mr Baxi said.

Kalyani and Gaurav Brahmbhatt

Trupti Telrandhe Trupti Telrandhe (left) pictured with Kalyani Brahmbhatt (right) last year

Husband and wife Kalyani and Gaurav Brahmbhatt were onboard the Air India flight, their close friend Trupti Telrandhe told the BBC. She said Gaurav and her husband Amul worked together for five years in a company in Burton-upon-Trent in the UK. “This was the time we all met together and started our family journey in 2009,” she said. “They were very close friends,” the pharmacist from Derby said. “They never used to tell us that they’re going to visit us. It was always a surprise visit.” She described them as “extremely hard-working and very friendly” adding they were “fun-loving” and “always motivated us to have big dreams”.

Saineeta Chakravarti

Saineeta Chakravarti, 34, a crew member on the ill-fated flight, had been passionate about her job, relatives said. She’d been fond of airplanes since she was a child. “She took inspiration from me and passed it along to her nieces, and made me quite proud,” said her aunt, who had also been a flight attendant.

The Girish family

A family of four, from north-west London, have also been identified. Hemaxi Shantilal and her husband Girish Lagli, from Wembley, were on board the London-bound flight with their young children Aadiv and Taksvi Girish. It is believed the family were sitting in row 30 of the aircraft with Taksvi sitting on an adult’s lap.

Fiongal and Jamie Greenlaw-Meek

Instagram Fiongal and Jamie Greenlaw-Meek posted an Instagram story before their flight

Fiongal and Jamie Greenlaw-Meek, a married British couple, ran a spiritual wellness centre in London. They posted on Instagram earlier on Thursday saying they were about to board the flight from Ahmedabad airport. In the video, they were seen laughing and joking with each other about their trip to India.

The Joshi family

Supplied Derby Hindu Temple said Dr Prateek Joshi, his wife and three children died in the crash

A consultant radiologist from Derby, his wife and three young children have been named among the victims. Prateek Joshi, who worked at the Royal Derby Hospital since 2021, is believed to have been travelling back from India, where his wife Komi Vyas and their three children – five-year-old twin boys Nakul and Pradyut and eight-year-old daughter Miraya, eight – were based. A colleague who worked closely with Dr Joshi described him as a “wonderful man” and said his passing had “left a profound void”. “Prateek was full of joy,” Dr Rajeev Singh, clinical director for imaging at University Hospitals of Derby and Burton (UHDB), said. “He approached everything with a smile, radiated positivity and had a great sense of humour. “He touched the lives of so many people, both through his clinical work and as a colleague and friend to many.” Dr Singh added it was “hard to accept” that a man with such a passion for life and his beautiful young family had been taken in this way. The Derby Hindu Temple paid tribute to the family on its Facebook page saying: “Dr Joshi [and his family] were devotees of our Mandir and supported us through their sincere service and dedication. “We pray to Lord Shiva to grant eternal peace to the departed souls and to give strength to the bereaved family to bear this immense loss.” Neil Ryan, who lived next door to them for two years, also described them as “the nicest family”.

First Officer Clive Kundar

First Officer Clive Kundar, the co-pilot of the crashed flight, lived with his family in Mumbai. He had logged approximately 1,100 hours of flight time.

Mohammed Adnan Master

Mohammed Adnan Master had a wife and 11-month-old baby, according to the mosque where he worshipped. The Cann Hall Deen & Education Trust, east London, posted on social media: “Our sincerest condolences are extended to his wife and 11-month-old baby.”

Raxa Modha and her two-year-old grandson, Rudra Modha

Facebook It is believed that Raxa Modha’s husband, Kishor Modha, recently died in India from cancer

A woman and her grandson from Wellingborough, Northamptonshire were also on board the plane. Raxa Modha, and her two-year-old grandson, Rudra, were believed to have been flying back to England for a memorial service for Ms Modha’s late husband, Kishor, who died in April from cancer. Raj Mishra, the mayor of Wellingborough, said: “I extend my deepest condolences to their families, friends and all those affected by this heartbreaking event. “May their memories be a blessing, and may we come together to support one another in this time of grief.”

Panna Nagar

Former nursery school headteacher and Ofsted inspector Panna Nagar also died in the crash, her family confirmed. A social media post signed from her four grandchildren said: “Her work in education and numerous charities brought her around the world, her legacy is undoubtedly immense and she touched so many lives with her passion. “She created an international community through her care for people and a desire to bring education to everyone.” They added: “Her impact will be remembered indefinitely. She poured an endless amount of love, passion and care into everything that she did. “Nani was the heart of the family, she held us together with her warmth and wisdom. Her house was never quiet, it was always filled with laughter, good food and Maya’s barks! “As her grandchildren she was everything to us, she taught us that our ambitions and passions are so important, that the time we have together is sacred and precious. “She shaped our lives in more ways than we can count and she will be sorely missed.” Ms Nagar was head of Northfleet Nursery School in Gravesend, Kent, for 15 years from 2005. The school said she was “more than just an educator”. “She was a guiding light, an inspiration and a champion for every child and staff member lucky enough to walk through her doors,” it said.

Renjitha Gopakumaran Nair

Malayali Association of Portsmouth

Renjitha Gopakumaran Nair was a nurse who had just resigned from her job at Portsmouth’s Queen Alexandra Hospital. She was finalising a permanent move back home to India to be with her two children and elderly mother, and had travelled out there to submit documents for a nursing post in Kerala. Her family said she had even set a date for a housewarming party at her newly-built home in the city. Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust described her as a “much-loved and valued member” of their nursing team and said her loss has come as a shock. She had a 12-year-old daughter and a 15-year-old son.

The Nanabawa family

Family Handout Akeel Nanabawa and Hannaa Vorajee were on a surprise trip to India with their daughter Sara

Three of the British nationals thought to have died in the incident were a family who lived in Gloucester. Akeel Nanabawa, his wife Hannaa Vorajee and their four-year-old daughter Sara Nanabawa were all on board the flight. A statement on behalf of their family said they were “heartbroken” and “devastated”, adding that “we are still coming to terms with the enormity of what has happened”. “They were widely loved and deeply respected,” Imam Abdullah said. “His [Akeel’s] quiet generosity, her [Hannaa’s] warmth and kindness, and their daughter’s [Sara’s] bright, joyful spirit made a lasting impact on everyone who knew them. “This tragedy has shaken our entire community. In a place where people know and care for one another, the pain is being shared by many.” Gloucester Muslim Society said it passed on its “most sincere and deepest condolences”. “No words can truly ease the pain of such a profound loss, but we pray that the family may find solace in the tremendous outpouring of compassion and solidarity from communities across the world. “May their cherished memories provide comfort, and may they rest in eternal peace.”

Pramukh Nanda and family

Five days after celebrating his 48th birthday, car dealer Pramukh Nanda was on the way to the UK to attend his elder son Pratham’s graduation ceremony. He was travelling with his wife Neha and younger son Pravesh.

Shailesh and Nehal Parmar

British nationals Shailesh Parmar, 61, and Nehal Parmar, 52, were visiting Jamnagar in Gujarat to spend time with their parents. The couple had lost their 26-year-old son, Heet, to a plane crash three years ago. “Heet was a trained pilot. In 2022, he was flying an airplane in Spain when it crashed and Heet died in the crash,” Nehal’s sister Vaishali Oza told the Ahmedabad Mirror.

Ashok and Shobhana Patel

Miten Patel

Ashok Patel, a financial adviser, and Shobhana Patel, a retired microbiologist, were living in Orpington, Kent. The British couple were on the plane returning home to their two sons, Miten and Hemit, their daughter-in-law Shivani, as well as two grandchildren, Amyra and Arjun. Miten, the eldest son, told the BBC the couple had spoken to him and Amyra whilst waiting for their flight to depart. They said they were excited that they would soon see their grandchildren again. They were both full of life and never gave up when times were tough, Miten said. “We were so fortunate and so proud to have been given them as our parents, we will miss them every day and make sure the kids remember the good times with Baa and Dada [grandma and granddad],” he added.

Dirdh Patel

Dirdh Patel, 23, a keen cricketer who studied at the University of Huddersfield, was an “exceptional individual” who had achieved the highest grade on his course, his former tutor said. Dr George Bargiannis, a reader in artificial intelligence at the university’s school of computing and engineering, said Mr Patel was “someone I came to know not just for his academic abilities, but for his warmth, passion, and enthusiasm”.

Manju Mahesh Patel

Manju Mahesh Patel, 79, had been staying in Ahmedabad while doing charity work at a temple, her son Chirag told Sky News. She was sitting in seat 12D – just one row behind the one surviving passenger, her son said. Chirag said his mother was a strong woman who “really loved her family”. He said she had packed her suitcase with lollipops and special crisps to give to her grandchildren when she returned to London.

Sahil Patel

Sahil Salim Ibrahim Patel, who came from a small village in Gujarat state, was on his first international flight, heading to London to take up a dream work opportunity. Two months earlier he’d won a two-year UK work visa, under the British government’s India Young Professionals Scheme, which could have changed his family’s lives, Al-Jazeera reported.

Maithili Patil

Maithili Patil, one of the cabin crew members on flight AI171, was the eldest of three siblings. The 23-year-old was the first girl from her village to become a flight attendant. Reports said her whole village was proud of her flying the world.

Arjun Patoliya

Arjun Patoliya, 37, had gone to India to scatter his wife Bharti’s ashes, her final wish after she died of cancer last month. The furniture designer from north London leaves behind two young daughters, aged four and eight.

Ajay Kumar Ramesh

Ajay Kumar Ramesh was on the flight, sitting alongside his brother, the British surviving passenger Vishwashkumar Ramesh. His cousin, Ajay Valgi, told the BBC that Vishwashkumar Ramesh had called his family to say he was “fine”, but he did not know the whereabouts of his brother.

Vijay Rupani

Hindustan Times via Getty Images

Vijay Rupani, former chief minister of India’s Gujarat state, was killed in the crash, the country’s civil aviation minister told reporters. Rupani served as the chief minister of the western Indian state from 2016-21. He was a member of the governing BJP party.

Captain Sumeet Sabharwal

EPA

Captain Sabharwal was a veteran Air India pilot with nearly three decades of experience. With more than 8,200 hours of flying experience, he was the most senior crew member on the flight. He was a Line Training Captain (LTC), a role entrusted to only the most seasoned pilots responsible for mentoring younger crew members. The 60-year-old was just months away from retirement and had planned to spend more time with his father, a former civil aviation official with whom he lived, The Indian Express newspaper reported. “He would take his father on evening walks when he was home, since the news of the air crash everyone is in shock,” a guard at the building where the pilot live told the BBC.

Ketan Shah

Handout Ketan Shah is survived by his wife Megha

Father-of-two Ketan Shah was among the passengers on the plane. The 43-year-old had lived in Dorset for more than a decade, and is survived by his wife Megha, a teenage son and daughter. He ran a village community store in Shipton Bellinger, Hampshire, and was visiting India to see his sick father. His close friend of more than 15 years Jigneshkumar Patel said he was “still trying to process this heart-breaking news” and he was “like a brother” to him. He said a tribute to him was being arranged in Southampton. “Before the plane took off he called his wife to tell her he was on the flight and that’s the last conversation she had with him,” Mr Patel said.

Lamnunthem Singson

Singson was a member of the cabin crew on board Air India flight 171, her family said. Outside the Civil Hospital in Ahmedabad, her cousin, T Thanglingo Haokip, told the BBC he was trying to get information about her but was unsuccessful. He added that Singson had a mother and brother who were “wholly dependent on her” as she “was the only breadwinner” in her family.

Swapnil Soni, his wife Yoga and sister-in-law Alpa

Swapnil Soni, 45, was on the plane with his wife Yoga and sister-in-law Alpa. They were headed to London to meet Alpa’s husband, Nishith, who was about to finish a road trip by car from Ahmedabad to London after travelling through 22 countries. Swapnil and Alpa had originally booked tickets on different dates but later switched to 12 June, ending up on the ill-fated flight.

The Syed family

Facebook Javed Syed and Mariam Syed were on the flight with their two children

Also on the plane were Javed Syed and his wife Mariam, from west London. They were onboard with their two young children Zayn and Amani, and were returning from a holiday in India. Mrs Syed worked at Harrods and Mr Syed worked at a west London hotel.

Adam and Hasina Taju, and their son-in-law Altafhusen Patel

Adam Taju, 72, and his wife Hasina, 70, were flying back from Ahmedabad with their 51-year-old son-in-law, Altafhusen Patel. All three lived in London. The couple’s granddaughter, Ammaarah Taju, spoke of her shock and disbelief at her parents home in Blackburn. She said her father, Altaf Taju, had driven to London to be with his sister as they received updates about the crash from Air India and government officials.

Manisha Thapa