After granting his late wife’s last request, a distraught father was returning home to his kids when he perished in a terrible plane crash in India.
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. Before the catastrophe, 242 people, including 53 British nationals, were on board the Gatwick-bound aeroplane.
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.
The Tata Group-owned airline Air India acknowledged the event and promised to compensate the families of the victims financially. Each family will receive ₹96 lakh, or roughly $116,000, as part of the support package, according to official pronouncements.
We are deeply anguished by the tragic event involving Air India Flight 171.
No words can adequately express the grief we feel at this moment. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families who have lost their loved ones, and with those who have been injured.
Tata Group will…— Tata Group (@TataCompanies) June 12, 2025
Anger over what many see to be a poor response to a preventable tragedy has been reflected in the public’s quick and emotional response to the tragedy.
One user on X wrote, “Is that all you value a life for? just one crore? Do you think money is going to make it better? [sic].”
Another added, “Your apology Means nothing. The families who lost their Loved One’s can’t come back now, only because of you TATA. Properly Check every Aeroplane Before sending to Fly. [sic].”
Many found the payout insufficient. “Oh, so now a human life is worth ₹1 crore? For a business empire worth billions, that’s your math? Impressive valuation of grief. [sic]” one user asked.
Others questioned legal compliance: “But as per Montreal convention they should pay 1.5cr+ to victim families……why are they offering less?? [sic]”
Another added, “Keep ur 1 cr with you .. its not equal to lives lost [sic].” While many focused on the lives of those lost, some were concerned for the survivors of the crash. “What about the person who is survived? Only hospital bills ? [sic]” a user asked.
Some added that the announcement was a shallow PR move, “Wow pathetic company. The legal limit for compensation is much higher than what you are providing. Air india and tata need to be investigated and people need to be put behind bars. Nice pr stunt.[sic]”
Others noted that many passengers were financially well-off, arguing that no amount could ever replace a life, “1 cr is not a big amount for most people who were on that flight. Most of them could afford to fly there and live there. Honestly no amount of money is enough when it comes to a life.[sic]”
Nevertheless, a few words conveyed the current sadness amidst the outrage: “Respect.”
On the same fateful aircraft, another family was split apart; two brothers were sat mere feet apart, but only one survived.
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. They got on Air India’s flight from Ahmedabad to Gatwick. Unaware of the disaster that would unfold, 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 stated. “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.”
As we previously reported, Air India Flight AI-171 crashed shortly after takeoff on Thursday afternoon, June 12, 2025, in Ahmedabad, leaving the nation in shock and grief. 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
The plane struck the Meghani Nagar neighbourhood, a five-million-person residential area outside the airport’s boundaries, at around 1:39 p.m. IST. Five minutes after departure, the event happened.
Flames erupted at the scene of the jet crash, and soon after, dense, black smoke enveloped the entire skyline. As soon as they arrived on the scene, emergency reaction teams began a rescue effort amidst the debris.
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
The term “Mayday” itself has a poignant origin. Coined in the early 1920s by Frederick Stanley Mockford, a radio officer at London’s Croydon Airport, it is derived from the French phrase “m’aider,” which means “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.https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fofficial.CISFHQrs%2Fposts%2Fpfbid02SttawnmpAz13fromc1z18cRdsDkCv8dTshMe766wacMvJDEUnZTSEMEhseWcNi2Tl&show_text=true&width=500
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
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.
In a public speech, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer addressed the incident and conveyed his sadness, describing the accident sights as “devastating.”
Similarly, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the incident as “heartbreaking beyond words,” extending his sympathies to all those affected.
As the Ramesh family and Arjun’s daughters experience an unimaginable loss, public criticism of accountability and justice as well as compensation is growing.
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