Five smiles that never saw tomorrow: UK-bound doctor couple, 3 kids killed in Air India crash moments after takeoff

A doctor couple and their three young children were among 241 people killed in Thursday’s Air India crash in Ahmedabad. The family’s final selfie on the flight has gone viral, breaking hearts across India.

A young doctor couple from Rajasthan, who had dreamt of building a new life in the UK, lost their lives along with their three children in the devastating Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad on Thursday.

Dreams crushed in seconds: A family's final journey

They had boarded Air India flight AI-171 from Ahmedabad to London-Gatwick. Just 32 seconds after takeoff, the plane failed to gain altitude and crashed into a doctors' hostel at a medical college complex, killing 241 of the 242 people on board and several others on the ground.

Among the dead were Dr. Pratik Joshi, his wife Dr. Komi Vyas, and their children - twin boys Nakul and Pradyut (5) and daughter Miraya (8). Their last photo together, a smiling selfie taken just minutes before the flight took off, is now a haunting reminder of a beautiful life cut short.

‘They were full of hope’: Family's last photo goes viral

The selfie, taken by Dr. Joshi on the flight, shows him and Dr. Vyas smiling warmly, seated next to each other, while their three children sit across the aisle. The twins beam at the camera, and Miraya grins from her seat.

It was supposed to be the beginning of a new chapter. Dr. Joshi had been working in London for the last six years and had returned to his hometown Banswara just two days ago to take his family back with him. Dr. Vyas had recently resigned from her job at Pacific Hospital in Udaipur to join her husband abroad, reports NDTV.

“They were so happy,” said Dr. Joshi’s cousin, Nayan. “Several of us went to the airport to see them off.”

One of India’s worst air disasters

The crash involved a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner operated by Air India. Witnesses described a loud explosion as the aircraft hit a building near the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport and erupted into flames. Black smoke billowed across the skyline as rescue teams rushed to the site.

It is one of the deadliest aviation disasters in Indian history. Only one passenger survived.

Air India has announced a compensation of ₹1 crore for the families of each of the deceased. The Tata Group, which owns Air India, also set up helpline numbers: 1800 5691 444 for calls from India, and +91 8062779200 for international callers.

US safety board to assist in probe

The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), which investigates major civil aviation accidents involving American aircraft or equipment, is sending a team to assist Indian authorities. The plane involved in the crash was a US-manufactured Boeing aircraft.

Experts believe the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder, known as black boxes, will be crucial in understanding what went wrong so soon after takeoff.

A town mourns

In Banswara, where the Joshi and Vyas families live, the mood is sombre. Neighbours remember the couple as kind, driven, and modern in their thinking. “They were the pride of our town,” said a close friend. “They worked hard to give their children a better life. It is hard to believe they are gone.”

The photo of the smiling family, once filled with hope, is now a symbol of a tragic dream that never had a chance to begin.