Ahmedabad, June 12 – A devastating air tragedy unfolded on Thursday afternoon when an Air India flight bound for London crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad, claiming at least 204 lives. Among the victims was Roshni Rajendra Songhare, a popular travel influencer and cabin crew member with the airline.
The flight, carrying 242 passengers including 12 crew members, crashed minutes after departing from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. The aircraft came down in Meghani Nagar, impacting a nearby medical students' hostel, which led to additional casualties on the ground. At least five medical students were reported dead in the crash.
Roshni Songhare: A Passionate Traveller and Air India Flight Attendant
Roshni Songhare, hailing from Dombivli, Maharashtra, served as a cabin crew member on the ill-fated flight. Known for her vibrant travel content on Instagram under the handle @sky_loves_her, she had garnered over 54,000 followers and was admired for her adventurous spirit and love for aviation.
Her tragic death was confirmed by Maharashtra MLA Ravindra Chavan, who expressed deep sorrow over the loss. “We are profoundly saddened by the untimely demise of Ms. Roshni Songhare in the Ahmedabad plane crash. As a devoted flight crew member and a proud daughter of Dombivli, her passing is a heartbreaking loss. May her soul rest in peace,” he shared on social media platform X (formerly Twitter).
Entire Cabin Crew Among the Victims
All 12 cabin crew members aboard the Air India flight lost their lives in the crash. The crew included:
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Captain Sumeet Sabharwal
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First Officer Clive Kunder
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Senior Crew: Shradha Dhavan and Aparna Mahadik
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Crew Members: Saineeta Chakravarti, Nganthoi Kongbrailatpam Sharma, Deepak Pathak, Maithili Patil, Irfan Shaikh, Lamnunthem Singson, Roshni Rajendra Songhare, and Manisha Thapa
Investigation Underway
Footage from the incident shows the aircraft taking off and then plummeting rapidly before crashing. The cause of the crash is yet to be officially determined. Authorities have launched a full-scale investigation to uncover the reasons behind the fatal incident.
Ahmedabad Police Commissioner GS Malik confirmed that 204 bodies have been recovered so far. Rescue teams are continuing their efforts at the crash site, which remains secured and under examination by aviation and disaster response teams.
A Rare Miracle: One Survivor Found
In a rare stroke of luck, one passenger, a 40-year-old British national seated in 11A, was found alive. Eyewitnesses reported seeing him walk away from the wreckage in shock but with no critical injuries. His survival offers a glimmer of hope in an otherwise heartbreaking event.