British family killed in Air India crash sent final selfie to waiting relatives
This is the first picture of an IT programmer and his wife and two children from north west London feared dead in the Air India flight crash.
The photograph was taken moments before they boarded the Boeing 787 on Thursday.
Sayedmiya Inayatali, 48, had been visiting his 90-year-old mother in India with his wife, Nafisabanu, 46, and their children, Waqueeali, 25, and Taskin, 22.
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Relative Shahid Vhora, 52, who lives with family in Wembley had been preparing to pick them up from Gatwick when he learned of the crash believed to have killed 241 passengers with only one survivor.
He told Metro: 'I can't believe this has happened. I was preparing to pick them up. They had been visiting Sayedmiya's mother.
'They took a picture as they were about to board. They were so happy to be coming home.
'I had a text exchange with them about me picking them up at Gatwick, then nothing.
'When I received the news of the crash I was devastated. We are a very close family, we all live together. My life has been torn apart.'
He said the family were very hardworking with Taskin studying to be a doctor while her brother worked in IT on gaming products.
Shahid added: 'They are the type of family would do anything for anyone. They are just a very caring, giving, perfect family.
'Sayedmiya and myself did everything together. We have had so many happy times. Now I have to go to India to try to sort things out.
'You can see them in the picture how much they are smiling as they got on the plane and couldn't wait to get home.
'After my final texts to them, nothing. Someone called me about the crash and I feared the worst.'
Briton Vishwash Ramesh is believed to be the only passenger to survive the crash, which happened shortly after take off.
He was treated in hospital but his brother, who was sitting near him, is among those feared dead.
Speaking to India's state broadcaster DD News he said: 'I still can't believe how I made it out alive.'
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the crash site in Ahmedabad on Friday where he spoke to Vishwash from his bed.
The aircraft carried 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, one Canadian, and seven Portuguese nationals.
Air India said that 241 people died in the crash. DNA tests are underway to confirm the victims.
Three British nationals – Akeel Nanabawa, his wife Hannaa and their four-year-old daughter Sara – died in the crash, a local community group said.
Raxa Modha, her grandson Rudra and her daughter-in-law Yasha Kamdar are believed to have been on the flight, the MailOnline reported. More Trending
Jamie Greenlaw-Meek, 45, and husband Fiongal, 39, who run a wellness company, are also believed to have been on the flight.
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A family set to move to London was also travelling on the Air India plane, NDTV reported.
Dr Prateek Joshi had returned to Banswara to pick up his wife, Dr Komi Vyas, and their twin boys, Nakul and Pradyut, five, and their eight-year-old daughter, Miraya, so they could start a new life in the UK.
Vijay Rupani, Gujarat's former chief minister, was confirmed to be a passenger by India's ruling party, BJP.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
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