In a devastating incident on Thursday afternoon, an Air India flight bound for London crashed minutes after takeoff from Ahmedabad, killing at least 204 people. Among the victims was Roshni Rajendra Songhare, a popular travel influencer and a member of Air India's cabin crew.
The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner carried 242 people, including 12 cabin crew members. Tragically, all crew members lost their lives in the crash, which took place shortly after the aircraft lifted off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. The plane reportedly crashed into a medical hostel in Meghani Nagar and burst into flames.
Roshni Songhare, known for her vibrant travel content on Instagram, where she had over 54,000 followers, was also a dedicated flight attendant. She hailed from Dombivli, Maharashtra. Her death was confirmed by Maharashtra MLA Ravindra Chavan, who paid tribute by expressing deep sorrow at her untimely loss and offering prayers for her soul.
Crew Members Who Lost Their Lives
The crash claimed the lives of all 12 cabin crew members onboard. Captain Sumeet Sabharwal and First Officer Clive Kunder were leading the flight. The full list of cabin crew includes:
- Shradha Dhavan
- Aparna Mahadik
- Saineeta Chakravarti
- Nganthoi Kongbrailatpam Sharma
- Deepak Pathak
- Maithili Patil
- Irfan Shaikh
- Lamnunthem Singson
- Roshni Rajendra Songhare
- Manisha Thapa
Out of the 242 people onboard, one miraculous survivor has been identified, Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a 40-year-old British national. He was seated in 11A when the plane went down. 'Thirty seconds after take-off, there was a loud noise, and then the plane crashed. It all happened so quickly,' he said.
Vishwash sustained injuries to his chest, eyes, and feet but managed to walk out of the wreckage. Describing the horror he witnessed, he recalled waking up to find bodies strewn around him. 'I was scared. I stood up and ran. Someone grabbed hold of me and put me in an ambulance.'
His brother, Ajay Kumar Ramesh, who was in a different seat, remains missing. The brothers had just visited Diu and were returning to London together. Vishwash has been living in the UK for two decades with his wife and child.
According to officials, 204 bodies have been recovered so far. The aircraft was carrying 230 passengers and 12 crew members. The passengers included 169 Indian nationals, 53 British citizens, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian.
Police and rescue teams continue their operations around the crash site, while families wait at the Civil Hospital in Ahmedabad, desperately seeking news of their loved ones. Reports indicate that five medical students lost their lives when the aircraft crashed into their hostel.
Though investigations are ongoing, early footage shows the plane rapidly descending after a seemingly normal takeoff. The aircraft took off from runway 23 and lost altitude soon after. Aviation authorities have yet to confirm the technical or human factors that led to the tragic accident.
Among the passengers was reportedly former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani. His aide, Sailesh Mandliya, was seen at the hospital seeking information about him, though no official statement has confirmed his status yet.
This tragedy has left the nation in mourning. The loss of young professionals like Roshni Songhare, who was building a life both in the skies and on social media, has struck a particularly emotional chord among the public.
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Akanksha Sinha
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