London Father Dies in Air India Crash After Fulfilling Late Wife’s Final Wish, Leaving Two Daughters Orphaned

Arjun and Bharti Patoliya

A tragic international air disaster has left two young girls in London orphaned after their father was killed in the deadly Air India Flight AI171 crash on June 12. The flight, which had just taken off from Ahmedabad Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, crashed into a residential area in Meghani Nagar, claiming the lives of over 290 people.

Among the victims was 37-year-old Arjun Patoliya, a London resident and father of two, who had traveled to Gujarat, India, to carry out the final rites of his wife, Bharti Patoliya. Bharti, who died from cancer just a week prior in London, had expressed a wish for her ashes to be immersed in a river in her home state of Gujarat—a common practice in Hindu tradition.

Arjun journeyed to fulfill her final wish, reportedly visiting a town about 150 miles from Ahmedabad to carry out the immersion ceremony. His daughters, ages 4 and 8, remained in London awaiting his return. He was scheduled to fly back to them on the same day the crash occurred.

“Arjun left to bid farewell to his wife, never returned to the children they both raised. Now, these two beautiful young girls have been left without parents — their world turned upside down in just over two weeks,” a fundraising appeal stated.

Flight AI171, carrying 230 passengers and 12 crew members, took off at 1:38 p.m. local time and crashed just seconds later. Surveillance footage revealed the aircraft was airborne for only about 30 seconds before plummeting. A mayday call was sent from the cockpit shortly before the crash. The aircraft struck a densely populated area, causing further fatalities on the ground, including at least eight locals—among them four medical students staying at a hostel.

Aircraft debris at the crash site of Air India Ltd. flight AI171 on June 12, 2025, in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India.

Air India has not confirmed the exact death toll but reported that a British man was the sole survivor of the 242 people on board. The flight included Indian, British, Portuguese, and Canadian nationals. The tragic scale of the event continues to unfold as families identify loved ones lost in the disaster.

One family among the deceased included radiologist Dr. Prateek Joshi, his wife Dr. Komi Vyas, and their three children—Miraya and twin sons Pradyut and Nakul—who were shown in a pre-crash photo smiling aboard the plane.

Investigators have recovered two black boxes from the wreckage, but the official cause of the crash has not yet been disclosed. Preliminary video evidence and expert analysis suggest the aircraft failed to gain altitude after takeoff before descending rapidly.

The international aviation community, along with mourning families, now await answers as investigations continue into one of the deadliest aviation tragedies in recent years.