A man tragically lost his life in the Ahmedabad air disaster, just days after fulfilling a promise to his late wife.

Arjun Patolia, a father of two, had travelled to India to honour his wife Bharati’s last wish, which was to immerse her ashes in a pond in her ancestral village.

After completing the ritual, Arjun boarded Air India flight 171 back to London, unaware that this would be the last journey he would make.

Arjun lived in London with Bharati and their two young daughters, aged eight and four.

Tragically, Bharati passed away shortly before Arjun’s trip to India. The family had just organised a memorial service for her in their hometown of Vadia, Gujarat, before Arjun returned to London.

On Friday, tragedy struck again when Arjun’s flight crashed shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad airport.

Air India flight 171, which had 242 people on board, crashed just 32 seconds after departure, killing all passengers except one survivor, Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a British-Indian returning to the UK.

The crash claimed the lives of prominent individuals, including former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, who was en route to London to be with his family.

The crash occurred in a building near the airport, and at least three doctors and one other person were killed in the vicinity.

The incident has left the family and local community in shock, with neighbours expressing their disbelief.

This tragedy has been described as one of the darkest days in Tata Group’s history, with condolences pouring in for those affected.

Air India has announced a compensation package for the families of the victims who perished in the recent crash of Air India flight 171.

According to News Sky, the airline had pledged KSh 14.9 million to each family.

However, in response to the immediate financial needs of the affected families, Air India has now promised an additional interim payment of KSh 3.7 million, bringing the total compensation per family to KSh 18.5 million.

India’s aviation minister, Ram Mohan Naidu, confirmed that a government panel will complete its assessment of the crash within three months.

The government also mandated enhanced surveillance of Boeing 787 planes, which are used by Air India and other airlines. Air India operates 33 Boeing 787s, while its rival, IndiGo, operates one.

The minister noted that the plane had started descending after reaching an altitude of 650 feet.

He assured the public that all possible causes of the crash would be thoroughly investigated.

Meanwhile, he has directed the airline to provide full support to the grieving families, ensuring that there are no delays in the return of the deceased passengers' bodies.

Source: TUKO.co.ke