Welcome to the news roundup for this week. The past several days have been depressing for the entire world, not just for India. Only one person survived the terrible jet disaster that killed 241 passengers on an Air India flight headed for London. As investigators try to figure out what went wrong, the country grieves. Take a look at all the updates.
1. What Happened on the Day of the Plane Crash?
On Thursday, June 12, minutes after taking off from Ahmedabad, a city in northwest India, an Air India flight headed for London tragically crashed. Families are left to grieve the loss of their loved ones as authorities continue to verify the information.
According to officials, the incident involved aircraft AI171, a Boeing 787-8, carrying 244 people: 12 crew members and 232 passengers. Of the 232 passengers, 169 were Indian, 53 were British, and there was also one Canadian and seven Portuguese travellers.
Two infants, eleven youngsters, and 217 adults were among the passengers, according to a more thorough breakdown. The final death toll has not yet been determined.
“Flight AI171, operating Ahmedabad-London Gatwick, was involved in an incident today, 12 June 2025. At this moment, we are ascertaining the details and will share further updates at the earliest on http://airindia.com and on our X handle (https://x.com/airindia),” a spokesperson for Air India told X.
The plane had taken off at 1:38 p.m. local time. At 6:25 p.m., it was supposed to touch down at Gatwick Airport in London. Flight Radar data indicates that it lost signal a few seconds after takeoff, after reaching 625 feet in height.
The aeroplane sent a mayday notice to air traffic control prior to communication being cut off. The distress call was followed by no additional communication.
Five minutes into the trip, the aircraft crashed into a medical college dorm in the residential neighbourhood of Meghani Nagar. In Ahmedabad, a city of more than 5 million people, the crowded neighbourhood is located close to the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport.
As rescue personnel raced to the scene, images shown on local TV networks showed dense smoke plumes rising from the crash site.
According to aviation safety expert Marco Chan, the weather was calm and clear at the time of the disaster. According to aviation forecasts, there were no severe weather conditions, storms, or wind shear that could have affected the trip, and there were light surface breezes and visibility of about six kilometres.
Caught On Cam: Passenger plane crashes near Ahmedabad Airport.#PlaneCrash #Gujarat #Ahmedabad #ViralVideo pic.twitter.com/EkitM2Eg9Y— TIMES NOW (@TimesNow) June 12, 2025
The director general of the directorate of civil aviation, Faiz Ahmed Kidwai, verified the crash site and the number of passengers.
Emergency reaction teams have been sent to the area, and attempts are being made to provide those injured with prompt medical help and required relief, according to India’s Minister of Civil Aviation, Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu.
“We are on highest alert. I am personally monitoring the situation and have directed all aviation and emergency response agencies to take swift and coordinated action,” he said. “My thoughts and prayers are with all those on board and their families.”
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport will remain closed till further notice due to a suspension of operations.
Darshna Vaghela, a local lawmaker, informed reporters that the collision had damaged the apartments of multiple doctors in the vicinity. He claimed to have been in the area at the time and to have assisted in the evacuation of numerous residents from their houses.
Reports from the local media state that the plane crashed into the government-run B.J.’s dining hall. Numerous medical students are said to have died in the Medical College dorm.
Footage aired showed part of the plane lodged on top of the building. “We are still verifying the number of dead, including those killed in the building where the plane crashed,” Vidhi Chaudhary, a top state police officer said.
When the plane crashed, a parent named Ramila revealed that her son had just arrived at the hostel for a lunch break. He was hurt when he leaped from the second story, but he is now safe.
In Ahmedabad, anxious family members have also spoken out as they waited outside hospitals to await word of loved ones. One of them, Poonam Patel, said that his sister-in-law had been aboard the aeroplane headed for London. “Within an hour, I got the news that the plane had crashed. So I came here,” stated the man.https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fofficial.CISFHQrs%2Fposts%2Fpfbid02SttawnmpAz13fromc1z18cRdsDkCv8dTshMe766wacMvJDEUnZTSEMEhseWcNi2Tl&show_text=true&width=500
According to records, the downed aircraft regularly flew between India and Paris, Frankfurt, Tokyo, Amsterdam, and Melbourne. For the Boeing 787-8, which has had a stellar safety record since its inception 14 years ago, this is the first crash involving the aircraft.
The Dreamliner model, which has flown on almost five million trips and carried a billion passengers, recently reached a significant milestone. Over 30 million flight hours have been accrued by the more than 1,175 Dreamliners in the global fleet.
#AirIndiaPlaneCrash | Visuals from the hostel and mess of BJ Medical College where the plane crashed.
Read LIVE updates: https://t.co/X1eTvFIa0D pic.twitter.com/bjNDevToHJ— NDTV Profit (@NDTVProfitIndia) June 12, 2025
Boeing has already been under pressure because of persistent problems with its 737 aeroplane line, so this occurrence is a major blow to the company. Additionally, it poses a new challenge for Kelly Ortberg, the CEO, who is almost one year into his role and was brought on board to help guide the business through growing operational and dependability challenges.
2. Who Was the One Passenger Walking Out of the Wreckage Alive?
British national Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, who was sitting in seat 11A, was seen walking away from the site after surviving the incident.
Vishwash, 40, who has lived in London for 20 years and has a wife and child there, spoke at the Civil Hospital in Asarwa about what transpired in the seconds following the plane’s departure.
“Thirty seconds after take-off, there was a loud noise and then the plane crashed. It all happened so quickly,” he told the Hindustan Times. Vishwash’s boarding pass was also made available on the outlet’s website.
🚨 RAMESH VISHWASKUMAR, SEAT 11A REPORTEDLY SOLE SURVIVOR IN AIR INDIA CRASH. pic.twitter.com/ypDObjbxDW— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) June 12, 2025
He was returning to the UK with his 45-year-old brother, Ajay Kumar Ramesh, after a brief stay in India. On the flight, the two were sat in separate rows. Vishwash responded, “We visited Diu. He was travelling with me and I can’t find him anymore. Please help me find him.”
Vishwash, meanwhile, allegedly suffered “impact injuries” to his feet, eyes, and chest. He claimed that after recovering consciousness, he got to his feet, terrified by the catastrophe all around him, and sprinted across rubble until someone pulled him into an ambulance.
Vishwash is purportedly seen leaving the wreckage and heading towards an ambulance in a video that India Today NE published. As someone led him, he was talking to those around him and hobbling a little. The video also had background audio, including cries from other witnesses.
A number of other families were also looking for missing family members at the hospital in the meanwhile. Sailesh Mandliya, a former advisor to Gujarat’s former Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, was one of them. As of this writing, it was unclear where the politician was, and Mandliya requested to be notified if any new information emerged.
3. How Did the Pilot Attempt to Save the Aircraft from Crashing?
While travelling to London Gatwick, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, which was carrying 242 passengers and crew members, unexpectedly ran into problems.
WATCH: Air India plane carrying 242 people crashes in Ahmedabad while taking off for flight to London pic.twitter.com/KyLVZaV6i7— BNO News (@BNONews) June 12, 2025
Just before all communication with Air Traffic Control (ATC) was lost, Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, who was in charge of the aircraft, sent out an urgent Mayday call, the most serious emergency signal in aviation.
The pilot’s last transmission before the plane disappeared from radar was the globally recognised distress signal, “Mayday, Mayday, Mayday,” which must be repeated three times for clarity and priority treatment.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) stated that no additional reaction from the cockpit occurred despite numerous attempts by ATC to reconnect.
Pilot issued ‘Mayday’ call before Ahmedabad crash: What does it mean and when is it used? Know the origin of this distress call and how the term originated?
Read full report here-https://t.co/qYGvLC87NS#AirIndiaFlightCrash #ahemdabadcrash pic.twitter.com/QbI7kt3V9r— Pulkit Bhardwaj (@bhwj_pulkit) June 12, 2025
Even the word “Mayday” has a moving history. Frederick Stanley Mockford, a radio officer at London’s Croydon Airport, came up with the term in the early 1920s. It comes from the French word “m’aider,” which translates to “help me.”
By 1927, the International Radiotelegraph Convention had accepted the phrase as the official spoken distress call for ships and aeroplanes worldwide, in addition to the Morse code “SOS” signal.
STORY | Air India pilot gave Mayday call to Ahmedabad ATC before crash, says DGCA
READ: https://t.co/yyXvRRPGk3 pic.twitter.com/uSOdcOESit— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) June 12, 2025
Mayday calls are used by aviation specialists to alert pilots of the most catastrophic events that may occur while in flight, such as engine failures, structural issues, fires, extreme weather, or significant medical situations. Less serious distress calls, such as “Pan-pan,” which deal with technological issues that don’t immediately threaten life, are not the same as Mayday.
Key information such as the aircraft’s name, location, emergency type, number of passengers, fuel remaining, and assistance needed are usually included when a pilot initiates a Mayday call.
Emergency responders and air traffic controllers can act quickly and efficiently thanks to this organised style. All non-urgent radio conversations are stopped upon receiving a Mayday call, giving the troubled aircraft top priority.
To offer complete support, ATC then works with emergency services, other planes, and other airports. In order to improve the efficacy of rescue operations, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) also recommends pilots to provide precise information such as weather conditions, altitude, and flying intentions.
The aircraft involved in the Air India #AI171 crash is a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner with registration number VT-ANB and serial number 36279.
First flight of the aircraft was on 2013-12-14 and it was delivered to Air India in January 2014. pic.twitter.com/gC1Mk5WoCa— Flightradar24 (@flightradar24) June 12, 2025
It’s important to note that in many countries, making a fraudulent Mayday statement is illegal and carries penalties including fines and jail time. The crew’s prompt and precise Mayday call was an essential part of adhering to emergency procedures in the recent Ahmedabad tragedy.
Despite the unfortunate outcome—no survivors are known—the message provided investigators and emergency agencies with important information, demonstrating the aircraft crew’s professionalism even in the most dangerous situations.
Caught On Cam: Passenger plane crashes near Ahmedabad Airport.#PlaneCrash #Gujarat #Ahmedabad #ViralVideo pic.twitter.com/EkitM2Eg9Y— TIMES NOW (@TimesNow) June 12, 2025
The wreckage of Air India Flight AI-171, which had been fully fuelled just prior to takeoff and its devastating crash, was engulfed in flames that firefighters battled valiantly to put out. Additionally, nearby multistory buildings were doused with water; one of them had the plane’s tail cone still stuck close to its roof, its stabiliser fins clearly destroyed.
Horrible scenes characterised the immediate aftermath: burned carcasses were strewn all over the ground, and one was gravely removed by rescue personnel.
The Flightradar24 data shows a short but concerning timeline in the closing minutes before the catastrophic crash. 1:30 p.m. The aircraft’s speed was logged at zero knots and it was noted as motionless on the ground at local time.
🔴 How doomed Air India flight exploded in less than 60 seconds
Headed for London Gatwick with 242 on board, Flight A107 never reached the right height during its short trajectory
Find out more ⬇️https://t.co/jkNAkvqS2p pic.twitter.com/roBmtpFdfr— The Telegraph (@Telegraph) June 12, 2025
It was still on the ground four minutes later, at 1:34 p.m., but it was moving faster now, hitting 10 knots, or about 11.5 miles per hour or 18.5 kilometres per hour.
Then, at 1:38 p.m., the aircraft suddenly began to climb, quickly reaching a speed of 174 knots and a height of 625 feet (190 meters). This brief ascent was followed immediately by the loss of all aeroplane signals.
In a public speech, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer addressed the incident and conveyed his sadness, describing the accident sights as “devastating.”
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed his sympathies to everyone impacted by the incident, calling it “heartbreaking beyond words.”
4. What Were the Pilot’s Final Words Seconds before the Tragedy?
The aircraft experienced a critical breakdown after just 11 seconds of flight. According to a news outlet’s report, what should have been a routine climb swiftly descended into mayhem as the scenario “suddenly became an irrecoverable disaster.”
WATCH: Air India plane carrying 242 people crashes in Ahmedabad while taking off for flight to London pic.twitter.com/KyLVZaV6i7— BNO News (@BNONews) June 12, 2025
Stunned air traffic controllers could only watch as the accident killed almost all of the passengers and caused injuries on the ground.
The event is being investigated by authorities, but they caution that it might take months to find the answers. Two of the potential causes under consideration include mechanical failure and bird strikes.
TERRIBLE NEWS💔
An Air India plane with 242 passengers onboard crashes in Ahmedabad during takeoff.#planecrash pic.twitter.com/5eWP95lN5t— Mohit Chauhan (@mohitlaws) June 12, 2025
Authorities have now made the identities and photos of a number of crew members—including the flight’s pilots and cabin crew—public while they continue their investigations into the devastating incident.
Captain Sabharwal, a veteran pilot who began flying with Air India in 1994, had First Officer Clive Kunder in the cockpit with him. According to local accounts, Kunder was from Mumbai, had flown 1,100 hours, and had graduated from the Paris Air Flight School in Florida.
These are the first pictures and names of the pilots of the ill-fated Air India plane that crashed just moments after take-off.
Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, who had 8,200 hours of experience, was today named as the pilot of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
First Officer Clive Kunder,… pic.twitter.com/dCazebwD0F— Breaking Aviation News & Videos (@aviationbrk) June 12, 2025
Lamnunthem Singson and Nganthoi Sharma Kongbrailatpam were among the cabin crew members who were confirmed to have been on board.
Along with Deepak Pathak, Maithili Patil, Irfan Shaikh, Roshni Songhare Rajendra, and Manisha Thapa, other senior crew members have also been named, including Shradha Dhavan, Aparna Mahadik, and Saineeta Chakravarti.
STORY | Air India pilot gave Mayday call to Ahmedabad ATC before crash, says DGCA
READ: https://t.co/yyXvRRPGk3 pic.twitter.com/uSOdcOESit— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) June 12, 2025
A devastating revelation regarding Captain Sabharwal has surfaced as the airline community, families, and the general public grieve the loss of life and await the conclusion of a thorough inquiry into what caused the aircraft to crash so quickly after takeoff.
Days prior to the incident, the deceased pilot had made a heartfelt vow to his father, an 82-year-old Powai, Mumbai resident and former Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) official.
According to local MLA Dilip Mama Lande, “A few days ago, he promised to take a break to spend time with his father.” Lande shared this after meeting with grieving family members.
Unfortunately, that sincere promise was never kept. Just minutes after taking off from Ahmedabad airport, Sabharwal died in the tragedy. Mumbai has been particularly heavily struck by the tragedy. Additionally, nine of the flight’s crew members were stationed in the city.
Instead of receiving a call from London, their families were devastated to learn that their loved ones had passed away far too soon.
Media organisations around the world, including the BBC, have been providing constant updates on the tragic events of Air India Flight 171, assembling the lives of those involved and the legacy they left behind. The information revealed about Captain Sabharwal, who was set to take a well-earned retirement, is among the most moving.
Caught On Cam: Passenger plane crashes near Ahmedabad Airport.#PlaneCrash #Gujarat #Ahmedabad #ViralVideo pic.twitter.com/EkitM2Eg9Y— TIMES NOW (@TimesNow) June 12, 2025
After decades of flying, the 60-year-old pilot was only a few months away from retiring, according to The Indian Express newspaper.
Captain Sabharwal was the esteemed Line Training Captain (LTC), a position designated for the most skilled pilots assigned to mentor and assess junior crew members.
A neighbor in his Mumbai residence recalled him as a man of quiet discipline. “He was very reserved, disciplined. We used to see him come and go in uniform often, but he was a very reserved person,” they divulged.
5. Why Did One Woman Luckily Miss the Doomed Flight?
Air India Flight 171 (AI171) was scheduled to carry 242 passengers, including Bhoomi Chauhan, when it departed Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on June 12 for London Gatwick. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed minutes after takeoff, killing hundreds of people on the ground and almost all of the passengers on board.
She is Bhoomi Chauhan. Missed her Ahmedabad flight by just 10 minutes — the same flight that crashed in Gujarat today.
A delay that turned into destiny. pic.twitter.com/f53o9Rpeq8— BALA (@erbmjha) June 12, 2025
The 28-year-old Bristol student barely escaped disaster after getting caught in heavy traffic on her way to the airport.
Chauhan was irritated at the time since the airline had already closed check-in by the time she arrived, which was less than an hour before the scheduled departure. What at the time seemed like a travel nightmare ended up being a fortunate turn of events that saved lives.
Chauhan’s car was stuck in heavy traffic as it travelled through the city core. Chauhan had been travelling from Ankleshwar, which is roughly 200 kilometres south of Ahmedabad. At 12:20 p.m., she arrived at the airport. ten minutes after the scheduled start time for boarding, local time.
She had a boarding pass for economy seat 36G and had previously checked in online, but she was not permitted to finish the process at the airport.
Chauhan recalled begging airline employees to let her aboard, saying she might be the last person to board because she was only ten minutes late. She tried to get on the flight, but they wouldn’t let her.
“We got very angry with our driver and left the airport in frustration. I was very disappointed,” she narrated. Chauhan, who had been in western India on holiday, was headed back home to the UK, where she lives with her husband and is pursuing a business administration degree.
“When I missed the flight, I was dejected. Only thing that I had in mind was, ‘If I had started a little early, I would have boarded the plane,’” she noted.
Chauhan and her friends stopped for tea nearby after being denied entry at the airport. They started talking to their travel agent about how to secure a refund for the missed ticket while they were there. They learnt of the crash for the first time during that talk.
The realization of what she narrowly escaped hit her. “This is totally a miracle for me,” she declared. AI171 had departed shortly after 1:30 p.m. local time, and within five minutes, it had gone down, leaving a trail of devastation behind.
6. What Was the Grieving Husband Trying to Do in Honor of His Wife When He Died?
When tragedy struck, Arjun Patolia, a father of two from the UK, had just buried his wife Bharatiben’s ashes in Gujarat’s revered Narmada River.
Shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad, Air India aircraft AI-171 crashed, killing him and other passengers on board as they made their way back to London.
Bharatiben had died in London only a week before. Her last wish was to have her ashes sent back to India, where she was born. Arjun fulfilled that desire by going to her village by herself to perform the customary ceremonies.
He was returning to the UK to be with their girls, who were four and eight years old, after finishing the tearful rituals with family. In just one heartbreaking week, the two girls are now left orphans.
In Hinduism, the Narmada River, where Arjun conducted the rites, has profound spiritual significance. Ash immersion in its waters is said by many to cleanse the soul and offer serenity to the deceased.
7. How Did the Lone Survivor Escape Death, But His Brother, Who Was on the Same Flight, Did Not?
After completing their business trip in India, 35-year-old Ajaykumar Ramesh and his 40-year-old brother Viswash were heading back to the UK. Unaware of the impending disaster, they boarded Air India’s Ahmedabad to Gatwick flight on Thursday. They sat down, Viswash across the aisle in 11A, next to the emergency exit, and Ajay in 11J.
Then there was a crash.
Viswash survived what investigators now refer to be a catastrophic accident while sat in 11A close to the emergency exit. As the cabin was engulfed in flames, his brother Ajay, who was seated in seat 11J right across the aisle, did not. Bloodied and dazed, Viswash was hauled from the ruins.
Viswash, who is currently in a hospital in India, keeps saying the same eerie request: “Find Ajay, you must find Ajay.”
Their family is torn between sadness and incredulity back in Leicester. Their mother, too upset to talk, is surrounded by family members who are consoling her. Nayankumar, their youngest brother, spoke of the bizarre time they got the call.
“It’s a miracle at least one of them survived,” he said. “He said his plane had crashed and he couldn’t find anyone. We couldn’t believe it. There was blood running down his face.”
Viswash’s injuries are seen in pictures obtained at the Indian hospital. Desperate for answers, the family is getting ready to board a plane, according to Nayankumar. Ajay’s phone continues to ring, but nobody answers, he added.
Late Thursday night, Air India announced the sobering fact that only one of the 242 passengers on aircraft AI171 survived. Viswash was the only one who survived. Among them was Ajaykumar.
The family held onto hope for hours. They thought that Ajay’s name might have been overlooked in the confusion as he was hurried to another hospital.
As Nayankumar had previously stated, they were “so confused” but hoped his brother had survived somehow. Nayankumar gestured to their mother, Manibai Ramesh, when asked how the family was handling the situation, which involved one brother living while another died. Her cries filled the quiet, but she was too overcome to talk.
“That’s your answer,” he said. “We’re just baffled, baffled.” Despite the heartbreak, he acknowledged the cruel duality of the moment: “It’s a miracle at least one of them survived.”
Viswash and Ajaykumar had visited India on business related to their family’s businesses. Previously, Viswash was the director of RMV Fashion, a textile company based in Leicester that shut down in 2022.
When Viswash called home, the first indications of life appeared. He informed family members that he had escaped the burning plane and was hurt but unharmed. Although the call was a relief, it also made Ajay even more terrified, and he never called.
Their cousin, Ajay Valgi, also from Leicester, shared his anguish. He described Ajaykumar not just as a cousin, but as one of his closest friends. “They were sitting next to each other,” he said. “But we don’t know what happened to Ajay.” The family is still reeling. “We’re not doing well,” he added. “We’re all upset.”
This concludes this week’s news digest. We appreciate your participation and hope to see you next week.
8. Who Were the Identified Victims?
Only one person is said to have survived the tragic flight, which carried 242 individuals, including 12 crew members and 232 passengers, including two newborns. Among those killed was First Officer Clive Kunder, a Mangaluru native who now resides in Mumbai.
Clive was relatively new to commercial aviation but fully certified to fly the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, having finished his flight school at Paris Air Inc. and accrued about 1,100 flying hours.
An hour before his takeoff from #Ahmedabad, Captain #SumeetSabharwal made a final call home, promising his family he’d ring again upon reaching London. Tragically, that call never came.
On the nearly 10-hour flight, First Flying Officer #CliveKunder, with 1,100 hours of… pic.twitter.com/aGezPUhJpS— The Times Of India (@timesofindia) June 13, 2025
Vikrant Massey, an actor, shared on Instagram Stories that he had a personal connection to Clive, revealing that Clive was the son of his uncle, Clifford Kunder. Vikrant said that his heart aches for his uncle and all those who are grieving.
Clive was helping Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, the aircraft’s principal commander, who was killed in the crash. Sumeet was a Line Training Captain (LTC) with more over 8,200 flight hours.
He was tasked with mentoring and directing other flight crew members as an LTC, a position that demonstrated the confidence in his knowledge and ability to lead.
That’s Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, whose last words were – May Day.
Rest in Peace ! #planecrash pic.twitter.com/C9p4gg1sdH— Aarti (@aartic02) June 12, 2025
That experience was evident in his final moments, when he realized something was wrong and radioed the ground with a chilling message, “Mayday…no thrust, losing power, unable to lift!”
Air traffic controllers watched in helpless despair as the Boeing Dreamliner proceeded to lose altitude and drifted off course before slamming into buildings, killing almost everyone on board and many more on the ground in the next 19 seconds.
Along with Saineeta Chakravarti, Kongbrailatpam Nganthoi Sharma, Deepak Pathak, Maithili Patil, Irfan Shaikh, Lamnunthem Singson, Roshni Songhare Rajendra, and Manisha Thapa, senior cabin crew members Shradha Dhavan and Aparna Mahadik were also on duty.
Politician Biren Singh paid tribute to Kongbrailatpam and Lamnunthem on X, sharing their photos and remembering them as vibrant individuals who served with pride and dedication. “May their souls rest in peace and may their loved ones find the strength to get through this unimaginable pain,” he penned.
It is heartbreaking to share that two young cabin crew members from Manipur, Kongrabailatpam Nganthoi Sharma and Lamnunthem Singson, were among those who lost their lives in today’s Air India crash in Ahmedabad.
Both were full of life, serving with dedication and pride. Their… pic.twitter.com/j6QIslighu— N. Biren Singh (@NBirenSingh) June 12, 2025
Following a ten-day vacation at a wellness retreat in India, Fiongal Greenlaw-Meek, 39, and his husband Jamie Meek, 44, were heading home to London when they passed away, leaving their loved ones devastated and unable to cope with the unexpected loss.
Jamie’s brother, Nick Meek, a caretaker from Birmingham, noted, “We were expecting him home tonight. He should have landed at 6.30pm and then driven up for about 11 to get his dog who is staying with our Mum.”
Nick described the death as overwhelming and still very fresh for the family, and claimed their mother was having a hard time processing the news.
Fiongal and Jamie, who are well-known for operating The Wellness Foundry, a spiritual wellness company with locations in Ramsgate and London, had boarded the plane with the hope of returning in time to be with their dog and family, but their lives were tragically cut short.
A post shared by The Wellness Foundry | Tarot & Spiritual Wellness (@wellnessfoundry)
The final video that the couple shared on their wellness page demonstrated their happiness and thankfulness for their trip, with Jamie and Fiongal looking happy and energetic as they joked and smiled at each other.
Fiongal once enquired about Jamie’s greatest takeaway from the trip, which led to some light-hearted back and forth. Jamie first replied that they had previously discussed the topic, but Fiongal then clarified that it was for a different purpose.
They continued joking, with Fiongal quipping that his main takeaway was not to lose patience with his partner. Jamie laughed, saying Fiongal had already begun losing patience with him after snapping during tea, adding, “I see you’ve learnt nothing,” as Fiongal burst into laughter. The video ended with Fiongal blowing a kiss to the camera and saying, “Going back happily, happily, happily calm.”
Shortly before the fatal crash of Air India flight AI171 in Ahmedabad, two British nationals waiting to board the plane were seen joking and smiling in what would become their final video.
In a story posted to their wellness page, Wellness Foundry, founders Jamie Ray Meek and… pic.twitter.com/XRSKFid3BF— Breaking Aviation News & Videos (@aviationbrk) June 12, 2025
A peaceful, happy moment between the pair during their stay at the wellness resort was also recorded in Jamie’s last Instagram post, when he posted a picture of them sitting at their Indian lodging with sunlight pouring in and a happy smile on their faces.
Many individuals have been profoundly impacted by the personal accounts of those who perished in the collision, and innumerable people have offered prayers for those who are grieving for their parents, siblings, loved ones, and siblings.
