Amid the twisted metal and scorched remains of Air India flight AI 171 that crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad, a single photograph has emerged as a haunting reminder of lives lost too soon — a selfie taken just moments before disaster struck.
The photo, reportedly taken by Dr Prateek Joshi on board the ill-fated flight, features his smiling family embarking on what was supposed to be a new chapter in their lives. Dr Joshi and his wife, Dr Komi Vyas, both medical professionals from Rajasthan, were moving to London with their three young children — twin five-year-old boys Nakul and Pradyut, and eight-year-old daughter Miraya.
The image, believed to be the last one of the family, shows Dr Joshi and Dr Vyas seated together, joy lighting up their faces, while their children are seated across the aisle. The boys appear to be making an effort to smile, and their elder sister beams brightly at the camera — a portrait of warmth, hope, and togetherness.
That hope was shattered just seconds after the plane took off from Ahmedabad airport. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner, en route to London, was airborne for only 32 seconds before it lost altitude and plummeted into a residential neighborhood in Meghani Nagar at 1:38 PM. The crash resulted in a massive explosion, engulfing the area in flames and smoke. All 242 people on board — 230 passengers, including two infants, and 12 crew members — are feared dead.
Friends and colleagues of the couple said both Dr Vyas and Dr Joshi had worked at Pacific Hospital in Udaipur. While Dr Joshi had moved to London earlier to pursue his career, Dr Vyas had recently resigned to reunite with him abroad. He had returned to Banswara earlier this week to accompany his family on their long-awaited relocation.
