Air India crash: Brampton mourns Canadian dentist Dr. Nirali Patel as community holds candlelight vigil for AI-171 crash victims

A quiet solemnity hung over Brampton’s Hindu Sabha Mandir on Friday evening(June 13), where flickering candles and tearful prayers paid tribute to the victims of the devastating Air India crash that killed 274 people. The Air India flight AI-171 from the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, Ahmedabad in the western Indian state of Gujarat to Gatwick Airport in London, the capital of England crashed soon after take-off resulting in one of the worst aviation disasters in history.

Story of Dr. Nirali Patel

Among them was Dr. Nirali Patel, a 32-year-old Canadian dentist from Etobicoke, who had been returning from a short visit to India. She was the only Canadian on board Air India Flight 171, which crashed into a hostel near the BJ Medical College in Ahmedabad just 30 seconds after takeoff on Thursday.


“She was a regular visitor here. We have lost our own family member,” said Maehu Lama, president of the Hindu Sabha Mandir. “All the Hindu devotees are our family members. That’s why it’s very shocking for everybody.”

More than 100 devotees gathered to light candles and offer prayers in her memory, as well as for the 240 others on board and dozens killed on the ground, including four medical students.

Patel’s parents and brother live in Brampton, and the temple has long been a spiritual home for them. Former temple president Ashok Kapoor said the event was a necessary gesture of solidarity. “We’re here to pray that God gives strength to the families who have faced this unimaginable loss.”

Black Box recovered

The crash is the first fatal incident involving a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, which has sent shockwaves around the world and raised urgent aviation safety questions. Investigators recovered the black box Friday, found lodged on a nearby rooftop, which could provide critical answers about what caused the jet to fall from the sky and explode in a fireball.

One miraculously survived

Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a 40-year-old British-Indian national, managed to jump from an emergency exit just before the plane exploded. “I’m still in disbelief that I’m alive,” he said from his hospital bed, where he is recovering from burns and injuries.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Affairs Minister Amit Shah visited Ramesh on Friday, calling his survival “nothing short of miraculous.”