Doctor and family from Derby among Air India crash victims
Dan Hunt
BBC News, East Midlands
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Derby Hindu Temple said Dr Prateek Joshi, his wife and three children died in the crash
A doctor and his family have been named among the victims of the Air India plane crash.
More than 240 people were killed on Thursday when a Boeing 787 bound for Gatwick crashed shortly after take off in Ahmedabad.
Dr Prateek Joshi, a radiologist at Royal Derby Hospital, his wife and three children were on board the flight, the Derby Hindu Temple in Pear Tree said.
In a post on social media, a spokesperson for the temple said they were praying “to give strength to the bereaved family to bear this immense loss”.
The plane was carrying 242 people when it crashed shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad airport, in western India.
There were 169 Indian nationals, 53 Britons, seven Portuguese nationals and one Canadian on the flight.
Neil Ryan, 42, a former neighbour of the family, said the news of their death was “absolutely devastating” and described them as “just the nicest family”.
He said: “The family were really unassuming, genuine kind people, honestly. It’s heart-breaking.”
Neil Ryan described the news of the family’s death as “absolutely devastating”
Mr Ryan told the BBC the family moved in next door about 2019, and lived there for a couple of years, before Dr Joshi’s wife and children moved back to India and he downsized.
He added: “When they left, he came round – we always spoke to each other – he came round with a big bag of goodies, there was a bottle of gin, there was cakes, tea, all sorts.
“They were wonderful.”
Flight AI171 between Ahmedabad and London Gatwick took off on Thursday afternoon, but struggled to gain altitude and crashed 30 seconds afterwards.
The plane gave a mayday call to air traffic control, India’s aviation regulator said. No response was given by the aircraft after that.
It crashed into a residential area called Meghani Nagar.
Derby Hindu Temple
The family were described as “genuine kind people” by a former neighbour
A spokesperson for Derby Hindu Temple said: “It is with deep sorrow that we inform you that Dr Prateek Joshi and his family were on board the Air India flight that tragically crashed en route from Ahmedabad to London.
“Dr Joshi, a radiologist at Royal Derby Hospital, who lived in Derby were devotees of our Mandir and supported us through their sincere service and dedication.
“We pray to Lord Shiva to grant eternal peace to the departed souls and to give strength to the bereaved family to bear this immense loss.”
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