British tourists smile 'happily' in final video before fatal Air India flight crash
In a story posted on their wellness page, Wellness Foundry, Jamie Ray Meek and Fiongal Greenlaw-Meek appeared in good spirits as they waited to board ill-fated flight
Two British nationals, Jamie Ray Meek and Fiongal Greenlaw-Meek, shared a cheerful Instagram story from Ahmedabad airport shortly before the fatal crash of Air India flight AI171.
In a story posted on their wellness page, Wellness Foundry, they appeared in good spirits as they waited to board their flight.
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Joyful farewell
“We are at the airport. Just boarding. Goodbye India,” said Fiongal, beaming at the camera. Jamie chimed in with, “And now we fly back to England.”
The two bantered light-heartedly with Fiongal ending the clip saying, “Going back happily happily, happily calm,” in an upbeat and cheerful tone.
In another Instagram story shared by Jamie, the duo was seen at a hotel in Ahmedabad with a 'Devdas' song playing in the background.
The video, geotagged at The House of MG, was uploaded around 1 pm on Thursday (June 12) — just minutes before their flight took off.
Bittersweet departure
In another story now tinged with grief, a smiling family from Banswara, Rajasthan, ready to begin a new chapter in London, clicked a family photo just moments before the disaster. That moment of joy has now become a symbol of the devastating tragedy that claimed 265 lives.
For Dr Komi Vyas, a respected physician at Udaipur’s Pacific Medical College and Hospital, had recently resigned from her post to join her husband, Dr Prateek Joshi, who had been living and working in London for over three years.
With their three children — daughter Miraya and twin boys Pradyut and Nakul — the family was finally set to reunite overseas after years of planning.
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Tragedy unfolds
Moments after AI 171 took off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, it crashed into the compound of a government hospital hostel, near the airport after issuing a "Mayday" call.
The fatal air crash resulted in a catastrophic loss of life. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, bound for London’s Gatwick Airport, was carrying 242 individuals — 230 passengers and 12 crew members.
The deceased included 169 Indians, 53 British nationals, one Canadian, and seven Portuguese nationals. A chilling video taken moments after takeoff showed the plane struggling to stay airborne before it nose-dived and exploded in a massive fireball.
Gujarat Deputy Commissioner of Police Kanan Desai confirmed that at least 265 people had perished in the crash. Among the victims were three medical students, according to Dr Mehul Shah of the Indian Medical Association, with several more hospitalised.
Also Read: Ahmedabad plane crash: Pilot issued Mayday call; what is it?
Global grief
Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the incident a "national tragedy" and directed Civil Aviation Minister Rammohan Naidu to lead relief operations.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau have launched an inquiry into the cause of the crash.
Condolences poured in from across the world. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the incident as “devastating,” while the European Commission and leaders from neighbouring countries stood in solidarity with India.