Vaibhav Patel (29) and Jinal Goswami (27) were on the brink of a new chapter in life, preparing to welcome their first child. Seven months pregnant, Jinal had recently celebrated her baby shower on June 2 in Ahmedabad, surrounded by family and friends in a traditional ceremony full of warmth and hope.
But that happiness turned into heartbreak just ten days later. On June 12, the couple tragically lost their lives in the Air India Flight AI 171 crash, which claimed 274 lives. The flight, bound for London Gatwick, went down moments after takeoff from Ahmedabad, slamming into a medical college and killing nearly everyone onboard—including crew, passengers, and several people on the ground.
Vaibhav and Jinal, originally from Keliya Vasna village in Dholka tehsil, had been living in London and recently relocated to Southampton. They had returned to India solely for the baby shower and were due to return to the UK aboard the ill-fated flight.
Family and friends are devastated. Nirav Patel, a close friend, described Vaibhav as a strong family man who stepped up after losing his father early in life. “He called me just two days before the flight. We had so many memories together. I can’t believe he’s gone,” Nirav told the BBC.
Only a small idol of Lord Krishna, believed to have been held by Jinal during the flight, was recovered from the wreckage—a haunting symbol of the life and faith lost in the tragedy.
Of the 242 people onboard—including 230 passengers, two pilots, and ten crew—only one person, a British national of Indian origin, survived. The crash also claimed the life of former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, who was among those on the ground.
What was meant to be a celebration of new life has now become a story of unimaginable loss, leaving a lasting sorrow in the hearts of all who knew them.