Vigil held outside Indian High Commission for victims of Air India crash
Candles have been lit around a statue of Jawaharlal Nehru as members of the UK's Indian community gathered to honour the victims of the Air India plane crash.
About 150 people took part in the multi-faith vigil outside the Indian High Commission in Holborn, London, on Sunday afternoon.
Mourners had travelled from as far as Leicester and Bradford to pay tribute, organisers said.
The statue of Nehru – India's first prime minister and a central figure in the country's independence movement – was surrounded by flowers, tealights and photographs of those killed in Thursday's crash.
At least 270 people died when flight AI171 to Gatwick crashed shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad.
Nilesh Solanki, 50, from the City Hindus Network and Action for Harmony, told those gathered: 'When so many lives are lost in an instant, it's hard to comprehend – and we ask the question why.
'Families, hopes, friends, people – vanished.
'Without even knowing the individuals, we felt the pain of these families.
'Coming together in this way is really important – it's a lesson for all of us to reflect.'
Among the mourners were members of the Brahma Kumaris spiritual movement, dressed in white to symbolise peace and remembrance.
Several mourners were brought to tears during the vigil as names of the victims were read out.
Organiser Pranav Bhanot, 36, a lawyer from London, told PA news agency: 'We felt so helpless hearing about the crash.
'We wanted to do something about it.
'An air crash is always going to be quite devastating. We're only a small island nation – we had friends, parents on that flight.
'We wanted to do something special to remember and recognise them.'
Authorities in India have begun handing over the remains of victims after identifying some through DNA testing, following one of the country's worst air disasters.
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed into a residential area in Ahmedabad shortly after take-off on Thursday.
Most of the victims were severely burned, making identification difficult.
Officials say 270 bodies have now been recovered, and only one passenger – a 40-year-old British man – survived.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
40 minutes ago
- BBC News
Telford beekeeper gets free Greggs coffee after rescuing high street shops
A beekeeper has come to the aid of a row of shops that were closed because of a swarm of bees and was rewarded with a free coffee from Emms, from Priorslee Honey in Telford, said he got the call from another shop on Market Street, in Oakengates, on said it appeared the bees had left a nest and were attempting to set up a new colony, but once he had captured the queen they all peacefully followed her into a Emms is on a list of swarm collectors set up by the British Beekeepers Association and said once the street was clear someone from Greggs came out to offer him the drink as a thank you. The staff member told him they had enjoyed their 20-minute break, he said, but were grateful the bees had gone."It was mostly about keeping people safe," he said, adding that no-one had been like this are not unusual, but Mr Emms said it was rare to find bees swarming near shops, rather up a tree or in someone's garden. He said swarming typically occurred when a surplus queen bee leaves a hive with part of the colony to set up a new one somewhere beekeeper, who sells his own honey from nearby Priorslee, said when bees did this they had "nothing to defend so tend not to be too aggressive". Follow BBC Shropshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
Battery warning after 70 fires at Grantham waste plant
Disposing of batteries in general waste can have a "catastrophic impact", Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue than 70 fires were started in 2024 by discarded electronics and batteries at the county's waste processing plant near Grantham, according to the service. It urged people to recycle items containing lithium ion batteries at household waste recycling centres or supermarket drop-off manager Dan Moss said: "It can have devastating effects. Once the batteries catch fire, they're very difficult to extinguish." Mr Moss said the batteries often catch fire when they are crushed as part of the general waste recycling process. He said the main causes of the fires were disposable vapes which contain lithium ion batteries. "If the disposable vapes are then in around other combustible items, which they would be if they were thrown in the general waste, the batteries will catch fire and then very quickly ignite other items around them," Mr Moss said. Litium ion batteries can be found in lots of other items including children's toys, e-scooters and electric cars, he said. Mr Moss urged people to be vigilant when disposing of them. Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.
BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
Historical monument to be restored at Liverpool's Queensway Tunnel
A celebrated piece of Liverpool's engineering and architectural heritage is making a comeback as work progresses to reinstate the historical Queensway Tunnel monument at its Liverpool the tunnel first opened in 1934, two identical black marble-clad columns stood at either side of the Mersey - one in Liverpool and the other in Birkenhead, which remains in place. The Liverpool monument was lost after being removed due to major road layout council said it was now being "faithfully rebuilt" and its return would mark a "celebration of the city's proud transport history". Liverpool City Council said the the monument – originally designed in the early 1930s by Herbert Rowse, the architect behind the tunnel – was removed in the 1960s. "The reinstated monument will serve more than a historical function – it is part of a broader plan to create an inviting and accessible space for the public to enjoy," the local authority surrounding area will be enhanced as part of the second phase, designed to "uplift" a prominent part of Liverpool and give people a place to meet up. Councillor Steve Foulkes said the return of the Queensway Tunnel monument was a "proud moment" for Liverpool and a "chance to reconnect with our heritage while creating a welcoming space for everyone to enjoy".The monument was engineered using reinforced concrete, which will be polished to closely resemble the original black granite used in the 1930s. The black marble-clad columns, each topped with gilded lamps, were constructed not only to illuminate the entrances but also to symbolise the grandeur and significance of the project. The monument in Birkenhead remains in place and is undergoing routine maintenance, while the Liverpool monument was lost during remodelling and is being "faithfully rebuilt". Listen to the best of BBC Radio Merseyside on Sounds and follow BBC Merseyside on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
