Latest news with #HardikAvaiya
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Yahoo
Newly engaged couple among Air India crash victims
A couple who went to India to celebrate their engagement have been named among the victims of the Air India plane crash. More than 240 people were killed on Thursday when a Boeing 787 bound for Gatwick crashed shortly after take-off in Ahmedabad. Prayers have been taking place at a temple in Leicester on Saturday to remember the victims, including local volunteer Hardik Avaiya and his fiancee Vibhooti Patel. Mr Avaiya, who regularly helped out at the Shree Hanuman Temple in Melton Road, was described by the temple's secretary as a "model devotee and volunteer". The plane was carrying 242 people when it crashed shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad airport, in western India. There were 169 Indian nationals, 53 Britons, seven Portuguese nationals and one Canadian on the flight. The Leicester temple held a hymn festival to pray for all victims and come to terms with the tragedy. Dhaval Patel, who worked with Mr Avaiya, said: "We were on our way to pick him up when I got a call to say a plane to Gatwick had crashed in Ahmedabad. "So we immediately checked the ticket and matched the flight number and we just cried." Staff said Mr Avaiya attended a couple of times a week to help with events at the temple. Mr Patel said: "He didn't like the limelight, he just worked in the background to get things done. "He was jovial, liked to crack a joke. He was dedicated, hard working, very pleasant. "He was model devotee and volunteer because he had selfless service." "When he left he asked the staff if the temple needed anything bringing back, that's the kind of person he was." While the staff at the temple heard about the crash early on, news of the casualties only came through afterwards and confirmation came from Mr Avaiya's friends. Mr Patel said: "We were absolutely devastated, its like losing a family member. "Events like this people come together and give their respects and gives us some sort of a release from the feeling of shock and feeling distraught. "It's a feeling of helplessness, emptiness, normally if something goes wrong, we can sort things out but this has been very difficult." Follow BBC Leicester on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@ or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210. Doctor and family among Air India crash victims Black box found at Air India crash site as families wait for answers Who are the victims of the Air India plane crash?
Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Yahoo
Newly engaged couple among Air India crash victims
A couple who went to India to celebrate their engagement have been named among the victims of the Air India plane crash. More than 240 people were killed on Thursday when a Boeing 787 bound for Gatwick crashed shortly after take-off in Ahmedabad. Prayers have been taking place at a temple in Leicester on Saturday to remember the victims, including local volunteer Hardik Avaiya and his fiancee Vibhooti Patel. Mr Avaiya, who regularly helped out at the Shree Hanuman Temple in Melton Road, was described by the temple's secretary as a "model devotee and volunteer". The plane was carrying 242 people when it crashed shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad airport, in western India. There were 169 Indian nationals, 53 Britons, seven Portuguese nationals and one Canadian on the flight. The Leicester temple held a hymn festival to pray for all victims and come to terms with the tragedy. Dhaval Patel, who worked with Mr Avaiya, said: "We were on our way to pick him up when I got a call to say a plane to Gatwick had crashed in Ahmedabad. "So we immediately checked the ticket and matched the flight number and we just cried." Staff said Mr Avaiya attended a couple of times a week to help with events at the temple. Mr Patel said: "He didn't like the limelight, he just worked in the background to get things done. "He was jovial, liked to crack a joke. He was dedicated, hard working, very pleasant. "He was model devotee and volunteer because he had selfless service." "When he left he asked the staff if the temple needed anything bringing back, that's the kind of person he was." While the staff at the temple heard about the crash early on, news of the casualties only came through afterwards and confirmation came from Mr Avaiya's friends. Mr Patel said: "We were absolutely devastated, its like losing a family member. "Events like this people come together and give their respects and gives us some sort of a release from the feeling of shock and feeling distraught. "It's a feeling of helplessness, emptiness, normally if something goes wrong, we can sort things out but this has been very difficult." Follow BBC Leicester on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@ or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210. Doctor and family among Air India crash victims Black box found at Air India crash site as families wait for answers Who are the victims of the Air India plane crash?
BBC News
20 hours ago
- General
- BBC News
Tributes paid in Leicester for couple killed in Air India crash
A couple who went to India to celebrate their engagement have been named among the victims of the Air India plane than 240 people were killed on Thursday when a Boeing 787 bound for Gatwick crashed shortly after take off in have been taking place at a temple in Leicester on Saturday to remember the victims, including local volunteer Hardik Avaiya and his fiancee Vibhooti Avaiya, who regularly helped out at the Shree Hanuman Temple in Melton Road, has been described by the temple's secretary as a "model devotee and volunteer". The plane was carrying 242 people when it crashed shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad airport, in western were 169 Indian nationals, 53 Britons, seven Portuguese nationals and one Canadian on the flight. The temple held a hymn festival to pray for all victims and come to terms with the Patel, who worked with Mr Avaiya, said: "We were on our way to pick him up when I got a call to say a plane to Gatwick had crashed in Ahmedabad."So we immediately checked the ticket and matched the flight number and we just cried." Staff said Mr Avaiya attended a couple of times a week to help with events at the Patel said: "He didn't like the limelight, he just worked in the background to get things done."He was jovial, liked to crack a joke. He was dedicated, hard working, very pleasant."He was model devotee and volunteer because he had selfless service.""When he left he asked the staff if the temple needed anything bringing back, that's the kind of person he was."While the staff at the temple heard about the crash early on, news of the casualties only came through afterwards and confirmation came from Mr Avaiya's Patel said: "We were absolutely devastated, its like losing a family member."Events like this people come together and give their respects and gives us some sort of a release from the feeling of shock and feeling distraught."It's a feeling of helplessness, emptiness, normally if something goes wrong, we can sort things out but this has been very difficult."
Time of India
3 days ago
- General
- Time of India
Newly engaged couple among victims of AI-171 crash
Surat: What began as a joyous chapter in the lives of Surat's Vibhuti Patel and Botad's Hardik Avaiya ended in heartbreak, as the young couple lost their lives in the tragic Air India AI-171 incident. The two had recently returned to Gujarat to celebrate their engagement, only to meet a tragic end on their journey back to the UK. Vibhuti Patel (27), a native of Umbhel village in Surat's Kamrej taluka, had completed her bachelor's degree in physiotherapy from a college in Surat before moving to the UK to pursue her master's at Leicester College. There she met Hardik Avaiya, a fellow student from Botad. The two soon fell in love and decided to spend their lives together. "They had come home on a 10-day leave to get engaged," said Darshan Patel, deputy sarpanch of Umbhel village, while speaking to The TOI. "Vibhuti was once a member of the Umbhel gram panchayat and was known to be a bright and dedicated student. The couple had just celebrated their engagement in Umbhel last week before boarding AI-171 to return to the UK." Their love story, which blossomed thousands of miles from home, had won the blessings of both families. Vibhuti's father works as a clerk at a local banana co-operative. She is survived by her younger sister and brother. Follow more information on Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad here . Get real-time live updates on rescue operations and check full list of passengers onboard AI 171 .
