The Air India Flight AI171 crash in Ahmedabad has left the families of the 53 British victims in deep distress, desperately seeking answers and expressing feelings of abandonment amidst a slow and challenging identification process. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner, bound for Gatwick, crashed shortly after takeoff on Thursday, June 12, 2025, killing 241 of the 242 people on board, in addition to at least 8 people on the ground.
The UK government has stated that UK air accident investigators are assisting Indian authorities, but families on the ground report a lack of support and transparency. They are calling for a greater British presence in Ahmedabad, including a dedicated crisis team at the hospital managing the identification of remains and a British-run identification unit to expedite the process. Some families have criticized the UK's response, stating they "feel utterly abandoned" and desire a more coordinated and compassionate approach from both the UK and Indian authorities.
The process of identifying the victims has been slow and painstaking due to the severity of the crash, with many bodies being charred and mutilated beyond recognition. DNA matching is underway, but families are growing increasingly frustrated with the delays and limited information. As of June 16, 2025, only 80 of the dead had been positively identified through DNA samples, with 33 bodies turned over to grieving relatives. This leaves many families in agonizing limbo, unsure of the fate of their loved ones.
Among those who perished were entire families, including Inayatali Saiyedmiya Saiyed, 48, and his family from Wembley, who were returning home after Eid celebrations in Ahmedabad. Akeel Nanabawa, his wife Hannaa Vorajee, and their four-year-old daughter Sara Nanabawa also lost their lives, with family members expressing shock and devastation. Vaibhav Patel, 29, and his 27-year-old pregnant wife, Jinal Goswami, who had recently moved to Croydon, were also among the victims, having traveled to Ahmedabad for their baby shower. Raxa Modha, 55, her grandson Rudra, two, and her daughter-in-law Yasha Kamdar are also believed to have been on board.
The lone survivor, Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, from Leicester, miraculously escaped the crash. He has described crawling out of the aircraft, while others around him were unable to escape.
Families are not only grappling with the emotional trauma of losing loved ones but also with practical challenges such as the repatriation of remains and financial burdens. The UK Foreign Office has set up a reception center at a hotel near the Ahmedabad airport and a dedicated helpline to provide support and advice. Air India has also offered compensation and support to the families of the victims.
