Downing Street has warned the public to prepare for a significant loss of British lives after an Air India flight slammed into a building in India, killing 241 people on board.
The devastating Air India plane crash struck a residential area shortly after the aircraft issued a mayday signal and lost contact with air‑traffic control.
A family of three from Gloucester – Akeel Nanabawa, his wife Hannaa Vorajee and their daughter Sara, aged four – were confirmed killed on the flight by the Gloucester Muslim Community.
- Sara was described by her primary school’s headteacher, Abdullah Samad, as a “ray of sunshine” who “lit up the classroom”.
- Mrs and Mr Nanabawa were noted for their charity efforts. “They helped fundraise for the humanitarian efforts in Gaza and medical care for poor individuals in India,” Samad told the BBC.
The couple founded Iceberg, an outsourcing services company operating in Gloucester and Ahmedabad. Mr Nanabawa enjoyed sports and socialising, while Mrs Vorajee held a midwifery degree and worked with sister company Rec2go.
Horrific planecrash caught on camera.
A Thread Not for the soft-hearted ⚠️
1. This is how the Air India Aircraft in Ahmedabad, Gujarat crashed today.
242 people were on board this flight to London. pic.twitter.com/4k1c6bJcNj— Earth_Wanderer (@earth_tracker) June 12, 2025
A London couple, Jamie Ray Greenlaw‑Meek and his husband Fiongal Greenlaw‑Meek, were also reportedly aboard after returning from a wellness retreat in India.
- They co-operated the South London‑based Wellness Foundry, offering psychic and aura readings.
- Fiongal appeared on ITV’s This Morning in January, discussing aura meanings with presenters Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard. The couple called the experience their “biggest gig so far” and shared an airport video of their “magical experience” in Ahmedabad.
Air India confirmed there were 242 people on board—including 12 crew. Among passengers:
- 169 Indian nationals
- 53 British citizens
- 7 Portuguese passengers
- 1 Canadian
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed into a medical college, resulting in a massive fireball. At least five medical students lost their lives and around 50 others sustained injuries, according to Divyansh Singh, vice‑president of the Federation of All India Medical Association.
MP Bob Blackman (Harrow East) reported that several constituents with relatives on the flight had been informed of their deaths. He confirmed that among the 52 British nationals who died, some worked at temples in his constituency.
He added: “There are 169 Indian nationals… visiting family and friends in the United Kingdom,” but stressed that identifying those individuals and their hosts is still underway.
The Air India plane crash occurred after a mayday call; the aircraft lost communication and collided with a building in a residential district of Ahmedabad. The incident has prompted intense international efforts to locate and identify victims and inform their loved ones.
Key takeaways:
- 241 fatalities confirmed, including UK and Indian nationals
- British family and wellness practitioners among the dead
- Crash site was a medical college; multiple students injured
- UK authorities brace for further loss of life
