Air India plane crash: Parents flew to surprise daughter in London. She got news of their death

Rajnikant Patel and Divyaben Rajnikant, along with her maternal aunt Hemangi Ben, were flying from Vasad in Gujarat to London when the Air India tragedy struck.

Updated on: Jun 14, 2025, 13:51:20 IST

By HT News Desk

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What was meant to be a joyful surprise turned into a devastating tragedy for 21-year-old Dhavni Patel, a student in the UK. Her parents and aunt, who had planned to arrive early in London to attend her convocation ceremony, were among those killed in the doomed Air India plane that crashed shortly after take off from Ahmedabad airport on Thursday afternoon.

Policemen stand guard outside the post mortem room, where the bodies of the victims who died after the Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner plane bound for London's Gatwick Airport crashed during take-off from Ahmedabad have been kept, at a hospital, in Ahmedabad, India June 14, 2025. (Reuters)

According to a report by NDTV, Dhavni's parents Rajnikant Patel and Divyaben Rajnikant, along with her maternal aunt Hemangi Ben, were flying from Vasad in Gujarat to London. They were originally supposed to travel on June 17, but preponed their trip to surprise her and spend more time together.

But instead of reuniting with her family, Dhavni received the heartbreaking news of their death after the Air India 787-8 Dreamliner crashed into a doctors' hostel near Meghani Nagar, Ahmedabad. The crash killed at least 251 people, including passengers and residents of the hostel. Only one passenger survived the crash.

Air India confirmed that the London-bound flight had 242 people on board, including 169 Indian nationals, 53 British, seven Portuguese, one Canadian, and 12 crew members.

Air India Ahmedabad-London plane crash update

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday visited the crash site near the Ahmedabad airport. He later met the lone survivor of the crash, Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a British-Indian national, who is currently being treated at the Civil Hospital.

Union home minister Amit Shah, who visited the crash site and met the injured at a local hospital, said the final death toll would be confirmed after DNA testing. "The forensic laboratories have been directed to complete the DNA testing in the shortest possible time," he said.

The Centre has set up a high-level, multi-disciplinary committee to investigate the Air India plane crash that killed over 250 people in Ahmedabad on Thursday.

According to an order from the ministry of civil aviation, the panel will look into the causes behind the crash, review the existing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and suggest new safety guidelines to prevent such incidents in the future.

The committee will have access to key evidence including aircraft maintenance records, air traffic control (ATC) recordings, black box data, and eyewitness accounts. The government has set a deadline of three months for the final report.

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HT News Desk
Follow the latest breaking news, major developments and agenda-setting stories from India and around the world with the newsdesk at Hindustan Times. Operating round the clock, the desk brings together experienced editors, reporters and correspondents to deliver fast, accurate and contextual reporting across subjects that influence public policy, governance, business, society and international affairs. The HT News Desk covers politics, elections, government policies, the economy, business and markets, science and technology, the environment, law and order, infrastructure, education, climate issues and geopolitics, while closely tracking developments across states, institutions and global capitals. The team also leads coverage of major breaking news events, policy announcements, court proceedings, natural disasters, public emergencies and significant international developments. Reports published by the newsdesk are based on information gathered from reporters on the ground, official statements, government agencies, court records, regulatory filings, recognised institutions and other authoritative sources. Stories undergo editorial scrutiny and verification processes to ensure accuracy, fairness and relevance, and are updated as events evolve and additional information becomes available. Whether covering a key political decision in New Delhi, an economic policy shift affecting millions, a landmark court ruling or a major global event, the HT News Desk aims to provide readers with reliable, fact-based journalism that delivers not only the latest developments but also the context and analysis needed to understand their wider implications.Read More

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