She was 7 months pregnant. Air India plane crash took lives of young UK-based Gujarati couple expecting their first child

What should have been a joyful homecoming turned into an unimaginable tragedy for Gujarati’s Vaibhav Patel and his seven-month pregnant wife, Jinal Goswami. The couple had flown to Ahmedabad from London to celebrate their baby shower—a moment they had eagerly awaited. The couple, aged 29 and 27, were among those who lost their lives in the recent Air India plane crash tragedy, a disaster that has left family, friends, and an entire community in mourning.

According to their close friend, Nirav Patel, in an interview with the BBC, shared that Vaibhav and Jinal had recently settled in Croydon, London, after previously living in Southampton, where Vaibhav worked. The two had been married for four years and were expecting their first child. Nirav shared that he had known Vaibhav for over a decade, and the couple had been filled with joy and anticipation for their growing family.

Both Nirav and Vaibhav are originally from Ahmedabad. While talking about his now-deceased friend, Vaibhav, he remembered his friend as someone who was always supportive and kind—a man who put his loved ones first. Their funeral was held in India on Monday, as heartbroken friends and relatives gathered to say their final goodbyes to the young couple whose lives were cut tragically short.

About Air India Boeing tragedy

On June 12, tragedy struck near Ahmedabad when an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed seconds after takeoff, marking the deadliest aviation disaster worldwide in the past ten years. The flight, headed to Gatwick Airport near London, carried 242 people on board — 241 of whom were killed. The catastrophe also claimed at least 30 lives on the ground after the aircraft slammed into a medical college hostel just outside the airport.

The aircraft began losing altitude approximately 17 seconds after lifting off from the runway. Despite a smooth initial takeoff, the descent was sudden and steep. Among the passengers were 169 Indian nationals, 53 British citizens, seven Portuguese nationals, and one Canadian. The flight also carried 12 crew members. The ground fatalities added another layer of devastation, as many of the victims were students and staff at the medical college hostel impacted by the crash.

The Lone Survivor

The only person to survive this disaster was 40-year-old Vishwas Kumar Ramesh, a British businessman of Indian origin. Seated in 11A near the emergency exit, Vishwas escaped with serious injuries but was discharged from Ahmedabad’s Civil Hospital a day after the crash. Tragically, his brother Ajay, seated next to him, was among those killed.

Identification Efforts

The horrific nature of the crash left many bodies charred beyond recognition. Authorities have been relying on dental records and DNA profiling to identify the victims. Air India and Indian aviation regulators have begun a thorough investigation into the crash. Key areas of focus include engine thrust, flap positions, and the status of the landing gear, which was reportedly still open during takeoff, Reuters reported. Both black boxes have been recovered and are central to the investigation.

Air India Chairman N. Chandrasekaran has confirmed that the engines had a clean maintenance history. He stated that the right engine was recently installed in March 2025, while the left engine had its last servicing in 2023.