Ahmedabad plane crash: The crash of Air India flight AI-171 has devastated several families, claiming 241 lives and leaving only one survivor. Among the victims was 22-year-old Payal Khatik, the daughter of a rickshaw puller from Rajasthan, who was en route to London to pursue her dreams of higher education.
The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, which departed from Ahmedabad on Thursday afternoon bound for London Gatwick, crashed minutes after takeoff, bursting into flames after hitting a building near the airport.
What do we know about Payal Khatik?
Payal, a first-time flyer, was leaving India to pursue an M.Tech degree. Her father, who drives a rickshaw, had taken out loans from his local community to fund her education abroad. She was the family’s hope for a better future. She was also the sole breadwinner.
“She had never travelled by plane before,” a relative told ANI. “Her father pulled a rickshaw to educate her. She was going abroad for the first time. The entire family had pinned its hopes on her.”
Her family is now waiting outside the hospital to get her body after DNA sampling.
Sanket Goswami, another student from Gujarat also killed in crash
Also among the victims was Sanket Goswami, a young student from Mehsana, Gujarat, who was heading to London for his studies. His uncle expressed the family’s grief: “My nephew lost his only son. Sanket was an enthusiastic boy with a bright future. He also leaves behind a younger sister.”
Ongoing investigation
The doomed aircraft was captained by Sumeet Sabharwal, with over 8,200 hours of flying experience, and First Officer Cliver Kundar, who had logged more than 1,100 hours. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), along with the U.S.-based National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), has launched a full investigation into the tragedy.