"Don't think I can ever board an Air India flight in my life": Daughter of Ramesh Patel, who died in AI-171 plane crash
Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], June 14 (ANI): The family of British national Ramesh Patel, who died in the Air India-171 plane crash, reached Ahmedabad. The family members remembered him and expressed fear about boarding an Air India flight in future.
Speaking to ANI, Ramesh Patel's daughter Priti Pandya said, 'He (her father) came here for nine days. He just came here to eat fruits...he did not come back home. This was the first trip I spoke to him 3-4 times a week, but when he video-called on Tuesday, I was working, and I thought I would call him back, and I never was able to. My sister-in-law spoke to him when he boarded the plane.'
'He comes every year to India. He loves India. He has got a house in Gujarat... He loves this country, and he died here...it was meant to be,' she added.
Daughter-in-law Kajal Patel told ANI, 'Thursday morning, he rang me and said 'Everything is okay, the weight is okay' and I said, 'That's fine, Dad, don't worry'. He said that he won't ring me again, but then he rang me again and said 'I am in the plane safely and it's on time' and I said 'Okay, see you in the evening'...I asked him not to go as it's too hot in India, but he kept saying he wants to go.'
Priti Pandya expressed fear of boarding an Air India flight. She said, 'While coming to Ahmedabad, Air India was an option, but I don't think I can ever board an Air India flight in my life.'
On the compensation announced by the TATA Group, they said, 'We will give money, can they bring back our father?'
Air India Flight AI-171 from Ahmedabad to Gatwick Airport (London) on June 12 crashed moments after takeoff, claiming the lives of 241 people onboard.
Meanwhile, the government has constituted a high-level multi-disciplinary committee for examining the causes that led to the crash of the flight.
'A High-Level Multi-disciplinary Committee is constituted for examining the causes leading to the crash of the Air India Flight AI-171 from Ahmedabad to Gatwick Airport (London) on June 12, 2025. The Committee will examine the existing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and guidelines issued to prevent and handle such occurrences and suggest comprehensive guidelines for dealing with such instances in the future,' an order issued by the Civil Aviation Ministry read.
The committee will have access to all records, including, among others, flight data, cockpit voice recorders, aircraft maintenance records, ATC Log and witness testimonies and will publish its report within three months.
The committee is headed by the Home Secretary and includes representatives from the Ministry of Civil Aviation, the Indian Air Force, and aviation experts.
The committee will assess the emergency response of the various stakeholders, including rescue operations and coordination among them. It will also suggest policy changes, operational improvements and training enhancements required to prevent such occurrences and handle post-crash incident situations. (ANI)
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