What began as a long-awaited journey toward reunion and renewal ended in one of the deadliest aviation tragedies in India’s recent history.
A family of five including Dr. Komi, a physician from Udaipur, and her husband Dr. Pratik Joshi, a London-based medical professional were among the 241 people who died when Air India Flight AI171 crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad on Wednesday.
The couple’s three children, ages 4 to 12, were also killed. The family had been preparing to begin a new chapter in the UK, after years of separation and legal preparation. For the first time in six years, they were finally on the same plane only to perish together within moments of liftoff.
A Journey Years in the Making
Dr. Joshi had spent the last six years in London, building a medical career and slowly navigating the UK’s immigration system to bring his family over. After years of visa processing and residency documentation, the green light came earlier this year.
Dr. Komi resigned from her hospital post in Rajasthan. The family packed up their belongings, said farewell to their home in Udaipur, and boarded Flight AI171 in Ahmedabad on June 12, 2025 bound for Gatwick Airport, London.
“They had finally gotten everything in order,” said a colleague of Dr. Komi. “They were so full of hope.”
The couple had reportedly planned to celebrate their wedding anniversary this weekend in London the first time they would be together for it in years.
Flight AI171, operated by a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, took off at 1:38 p.m. local time. Within 45 seconds, the aircraft experienced a catastrophic loss of control and crashed into the rooftop of the BJ Medical College hostel, just over two kilometers from the runway.
The impact and resulting explosion claimed the lives of 241 people onboard and at least 60 people on the ground, including medical students and local residents.
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) confirmed Thursday that the Flight Data Recorder has been recovered and that early signs point to a possible engine failure or premature retraction of flight surfaces. The Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) is still being searched for.
There were no distress signals issued before the aircraft went down.
Who Were Dr. Komi and Dr. Pratik Joshi?
Dr. Komi had served as a physician in Udaipur for over a decade. Known for her empathy and medical skill, she was highly respected within the public health sector. Her resignation earlier this year had prompted a wave of well-wishes and farewell tributes from patients and hospital staff.
Dr. Pratik Joshi had worked in the NHS system since 2019 and was based in East London. Friends say he had worked tirelessly to bring his family over legally, declining to take shortcuts in the process.
“They were so proud of doing it the right way,” said a relative. “This flight was their reward for that patience.”
A cousin confirmed that the family had taken a final group photo at Ahmedabad airport smiling, carrying new passports and boarding passes, unaware of the tragedy that would unfold minutes later.
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called the incident a “profound national tragedy” and visited the crash site on Thursday. He announced ₹1 crore in compensation to each victim’s family and vowed a full investigation.
The UK’s Prime Minister Rachel Reeves also issued condolences, confirming that at least 53 British nationals were among the dead. “We share India’s grief,” she said. “This is a loss without borders.”
Air India has grounded similar Boeing 787 aircraft pending further inspection. Boeing and GE Aerospace are also assisting in the investigation.
In a tragic twist of fate, what had separated the Joshi family for years borders, paperwork, professional commitments finally brought them together in death.
“They died the way they always wanted to live as a family, together,” said a family friend. “But not like this. Never like this.”
Investigations are ongoing. But for those who knew the Joshis, there is no mystery: this was a family whose dreams finally took flight only to be grounded by an unspeakable disaster.
