
Tributes paid to Britons feared killed in Air India plane crash
Air India confirmed 241 of the 242 people on board the Boeing 787 Dreamliner were killed on Thursday, in one of the deadliest plane crashes in terms of the number of British nationals killed.
Fiongal and Jamie Greenlaw-Meek, who run a spiritual wellness centre, were said to be among the dead.
The pair laughed and joked as they filmed a video of themselves at the airport before taking off.
In an earlier Instagram post they told of their 'mind-blowing' trip to India and their intention to make a vlog about it.
Mr Greenlaw is said to have appeared on ITV's This Morning earlier this year to talk about wellness.
Former editor of the show Martin Frizell praised his 'vibrancy' and 'enthusiasm'.
'So so sad to hear that Fiongal Greenlaw Meek and his partner are reported to be among the passengers and crew killed today on board the Air India flight bound for Gatwick,' he said in an Instagram post.
'I remember his visit to the studio in January, he was passionate about auras and although I'm a sceptical sort his vibrancy and sheer enthusiasm won folk over.
'And I know for a fact that he hoped to use his appearance on This Morning to build his wellness brand, he had a great future ahead of him.
'Thoughts are with his family and friends and those of his partner Jamie.'
The Greenlaw-Meeks were running the Wellness Foundry in London, which offers psychic readings, tarot, reiki and yoga.
The firm is included in Time Out's top places in the capital for tarot readings.
The Wellness Foundry also has a podcast called Spirit Level, which the website says is a 'guiding light on the journey to holistic well-being and spiritual enlightenment'.
The Gloucester Muslim Community group offered 'sincere and deepest condolences' after Akeel Nanabawa, his wife Hannaa and their daughter Sara were reported to be among the victims.
'During this moment of overwhelming sorrow, our hearts go out to all those left behind,' a statement said.
'No words can truly ease the pain of such a profound loss, but we pray that the family may find solace in the tremendous outpouring of compassion and solidarity from communities across the world.'
Raj Mishra, the mayor of Wellingborough in Northamptonshire, called for people to come together as he announced the deaths of three people from his community.
'Among those lost were Raxa Modha, infant Rudra Modha, and Ms K Mistri, all from our Wellingborough community,' he said.
'I extend my deepest condolences to their families, friends and all those affected by this heartbreaking event.
'May their memories be a blessing, and may we come together to support one another in this time of grief.'
Briton Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, 40, is believed to be the only survivor of the crash.
Speaking outside the family home in Leicester, his brother, Nayan Kumar Ramesh, 27, said: 'We were just shocked as soon as we heard it.
'I last spoke to him yesterday morning. We're devastated, just devastated.
'He said, 'I have no idea how I exited the plane'.'
Mr Ramesh's older brother Ajay was also aboard the flight.
Another of Mr Ramesh's relatives, Jay, said the survivor spoke to his father after the crash and asked after his brother.
Jay told PA: 'After the crash he spoke to his dad worrying about his brother saying, 'Where's Ajay'?'
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Spectator
33 minutes ago
- Spectator
The post-Brexit Gibraltar deal is going down badly in Spain
Conservative and Reform politicians have denounced this week's post-Brexit Gibraltar deal as a betrayal. 'Gibraltar is British, and given Labour's record of surrendering our territory and paying for the privilege, we will be reviewing carefully all the details of any agreement that is reached,' Dame Priti Patel, the shadow foreign secretary, said. Meanwhile, describing Labour as 'the worst negotiators in history', Nigel Farage called the agreement 'yet another surrender'. But Spain's right-wing parties have, if possible, been even more damning. José Manuel García-Margallo, a former Minister of Foreign Affairs, described the agreement as 'total surrender', the 'absolute renunciation' of Spain's political and economic sovereignty over the Rock. 'All the British companies that want to settle in the EU post-Brexit will now go to Gibraltar,' he predicted, asking rhetorically who will now invest in Spain's neighbouring territory. He dismissed the argument that the pact helps the approximately 15,000 people living in Spain who work in Gibraltar, insisting that Spain, 'the fourth largest economy in the euro should be able to provide a solution for that number of people'.


Spectator
an hour ago
- Spectator
Why is Britain's economy so unhealthy?
The Spectator's economics editor Michael Simmons is joined by the outgoing boss of the Institute for Fiscal Studies Paul Johnson and the CEO of the Resolution Foundation Ruth Curtice to understand why Britain's economy is in such a bad place. Given it feels like we are often in a doom loop of discussion about tax rises, does this point to a structural problem with the British economy? And why are the public's expectations so out of line with the state's capabilities? Michael, Paul and Ruth talk about whether it's fair for Labour to claim they've been ending austerity, the extent to which the effects of the covid-19 pandemic are still being felt and if tax rises are inevitable. Plus – if Ruth and Paul had the opportunity to be an economic Treasury dictator, what one policy would they enact to make a big change? Produced by Patrick Gibbons.


Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Daily Mirror
Uber's UK driverless taxi trial has Brits all saying the same thing
Futuristic robotaxis could soon be driving on UK roads, as Uber confirms its latest trial. However, the news has sparked debate online - with many brits sharing the same concern Uber has revealed futuristic plans to bring driverless taxis to the UK, but Brits have pointed out one big problem. Fully autonomous robotaxis — self-driving cars with no human safety net — could be deployed on London 's roads in the spring of 2026, the taxi firm has announced. The ambitious project is being conducted in partnership with Wayve, a UK-based artificial intelligence company that has been developing and testing driverless vehicle technology on the capital's streets under human supervision — as current regulations require. CEO and co-founder of Wayve, Alex Kendall, said: "The UK has been Wayve's home since 2017 — building this technology here has been an incredible journey, from testing our first prototype in Cambridge to deploying the world 's first end-to-end AI driver on public roads, starting in London and expanding nationwide. "Accelerating commercial self-driving pilots to 2026 positions the UK as a leading destination for the deployment of L4 self-driving technology. These early pilots will help build public trust and unlock new jobs, services, and markets. For Wayve, this means we can prioritise the UK for early deployment and help deliver safer, cleaner mobility to the UK. We're excited to bring the benefits of L4 autonomous mobility to cities around the UK." Changes in policy regarding driverless vehicles were revealed in the build-up to Uber's announcement — the government initially aimed to introduce autonomous cars onto British roads by 2026. However, this timeline was later pushed back to the latter half of 2027. Despite this, the government put forward an accelerated regulatory framework to allow smaller-scale autonomous commercial services, such as buses and taxis, to operate sooner, with the aim of fostering innovation and positioning Britain as a global leader in autonomous transport technology. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander emphasised the significance of this development, stating: "The future of transport is arriving. "Self-driving cars could bring jobs, investment, and the opportunity for the UK to be among the world leaders in new technology. With road safety at the heart of our pilots and legislation, we continue to take bold steps to create jobs, back British industry, and drive innovation to deliver our Plan for Change." While Uber is yet to confirm whether the robotaxis in the London trial will be available for public use, the company has stated it intends to integrate these vehicles into its UK app as a regular option as soon as legislation permits. The details of the trial, including the number of vehicles and operational specifics, are still being finalised. Uber and Wayve are working closely with regulators to ensure the vehicles meet safety and operational standards before they hit the streets without a human driver. Uber's London trial follows similar initiatives worldwide — Uber launched a robotaxi service in Austin, Texas in March 2025, and claiming its driverless vehicles there could work 20 hours a day, seven days a week — customers have the choice between a regular taxi or robotaxi, if there's one available, with no difference in fare. According to the Department for Transport, the industry could create approximately 38,000 jobs and contribute £42 billion to the UK economy by 2035. However, the introduction of driverless taxis raises social concerns, particularly regarding employment. GMB national secretary Andy Prendergast, emphasised the need to consider the 'significant social implications' of autonomous vehicles, including potential job losses for professional drivers. While members of the Great British public all seem to be saying the same thing about robotaxis on social media. One person wrote: "Not only would I not get in one, I wouldn't want to drive on the same road as one." A second posted: "No. No bloody way. For starters. How will they avoid the potholes? I'm sure London must have some even if it far less than the rest of us." Another agreed: "I wouldn't trust them but also wouldn't use them because it's taking people's jobs away!" While a fourth chimed in: "It's hard enough to trust an ordinary taxi." Although clearly in the minority, at least online, not everyone is so lacking in trust. One commenter said: "Yes, I can't wait to get a driverless car when you don't need a driving licence." While someone else added: "Arrogant human drivers are the biggest danger." Uber's upcoming robotaxi trial in London represents a major step toward integrating autonomous vehicles into everyday urban transport, with the potential to reshape the future of mobility in the UK and beyond — but it remains to see whether Brits will trust the tech enough to use it.