Air India crash: tributes pour in for Gloucestershire family
241 passengers and crew were killed shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad airport yesterday (12 June)
Last updated 13th Jun 2025
Aviation specialists will today begin to investigate what caused an Air India plane - bound for London Gatwick - to crash.
241 passengers and crew were killed shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad airport.
One man survived - a 40-year-old man from Leicester.
Out of those who died in the tragedy, it's reported three of those were members of a family in Gloucestershire.
The Gloucester Muslim Community has posted on social media.
They said: "Today, we are profoundly heartbroken by the devastating loss of life in the catastrophic crash of Flight AI171, traveling from Ahmedabad to London.
"GMBC extends its most sincere and deepest condolences to the Nanabawa family upon receiving the tragic news of the passing of:
- Brother Akeel Nanabawa
- His wife, Hannaa
- Their beloved daughter, Sara
"During this moment of overwhelming sorrow, our hearts go out to all those left behind. No words can truly ease the pain of such a profound loss, but we pray that the family may find solace in the tremendous outpouring of compassion and solidarity from communities across the world.
"May their cherished memories provide comfort, and may they rest in eternal peace.
"May Allah (SWT) grant Brother Akeel, Sister Hannaa, and their beloved daughter Sara the highest place in Jannatul Firdous, enveloping them in His infinite mercy.
"May He grant patience, strength, and healing to all those grieving this unimaginable loss.
"GMBC extends its deepest sympathies to the Nanabawa family and all others who are affected by this tragedy."
'We stand in sorrow'
In a statement, the Mayor of Gloucester, Cllr Ashley Bowkett, said: "On behalf of the City of Gloucester, its elected members, and all residents, I offer our deepest condolences following the tragic loss of Akeel Nanabawa, his wife Hannaa Vorajee, and their daughter Sara, on Thursday 12th June, 2025.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with their family, friends, and Gloucester’s Muslim community, who mourn three cherished lives. This is a deeply painful loss felt across our entire city.
"We mourn with you. We stand in sorrow, in solidarity, and in support. May Akeel, Hannaa, and Sara be remembered with love, faith, and light. The city stands ready to support them in any way we can."
'Akeel Nanabawa and Hannaa weren’t just family — they were our best friends'
Imam Abdullah Samad said on LinkedIn: "There are no words big enough to carry the weight of what we’re feeling, yet we only say what pleases our Creator. Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi rajioon - We belong to Allah and to Him we return.
"Akeel Nanabawa and Hannaa weren’t just family — they were our best friends. We were inseparable and, at times, insufferable. Always teasing each other, always planning something, always there. We travelled together, laughed together, and leaned on each other through every chapter of life. We travelled to Palestine, Umrah and completed our Hajj together.
"Akeel had a knack for entrepreneurship. He was also the most generous person I knew. Quiet, humble, but always the first to help. If something needed doing, he’d already done it - no fuss, no credit. He lived with a kind of selflessness that’s rare. The kind that leaves a mark. The first comment made to me after his passing was, "Akeel was looking for this for me, and had promised me this..." because that was Akeel: selfless, sincere, always looking out for others.
"Hannaa was vibrant, the life of the party, and identical in goodness. Meticulous, curious, a learner. She wanted to understand everything - rooted in a deep passion for learning and teaching, possessing a sharp mind and a soft heart. She could find beauty in the smallest details and was fiercely committed to doing things right. She was my fellow Director at Peace Inclusion and was a massive advocate to ensure we built bridges, and that our beautiful religion was understood better. When I was struggling to keep up with orders at The Date Hut, she spent her days and nights helping us get through it.
"Recently, they had heard about a lady in Bristol who was struggling to register her fingerprints for the Hajj visa. No questions asked, they travelled together, a 3-hour round trip, to help this unknown lady, earning her prayers, and refusing to accept anything in return.
"Together, they were the perfect team — raising a daughter who carried their light in every way. She was bubbly, bright, and the centre of their world. They were absolutely devoted to little Sara, making sure she was always one step ahead, all the time. And they kept my son like their own, whenever we needed, always available, always willing. My boy has lost his best friend too.
"This loss has left a hole in our lives that can never be filled. But the outpouring of love and memories has reminded us how many lives they touched, how deep their impact was, how many hearts they quietly lifted.
"And it's not only about us and what we have lost. It's about them, and what they have gained. Nothing on God's earth is better than the hospitality we believe they receive in the Hereafter, and that fills us with happiness and hope.
"Please keep the family in your thoughts, and above all, show kindness. Let’s honour them by being a little more like them: sincere, generous, and full of love.
"Allah bless them, and us with them."
One British survivor
The sole British survivor has been visited by Indian prime minister Narendra Modi.
Video footage shows Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, 40, talking to Mr Modi while lying on his hospital bed.
The prime minister also visited the crash site.
Air India confirmed Mr Ramesh was the sole survivor of the 242 people on board the London-bound Boeing 787 Dreamliner when it crashed into a medical college shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad airport.
It is one of the deadliest plane crashes in terms of the number of British nationals killed, and the first involving a 787.
Investigations are continuing into the cause of the crash.
At least five medical students were killed and about 50 injured.
Mr Ramesh was in seat 11A, next to one of the aircraft's emergency exits.
Tata Group, the parent company of Air India, said it would provide 10 million rupees (around £86,000) to the families of each of those killed in the crash.
Air India has set up friends and relatives assistance centres at Gatwick, Mumbai, Delhi and Ahmedabad airports to provide support in the wake of AI171's crash.
UK officials are being deployed to India to support the investigation, the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) said.
US transportation secretary Sean Duffy confirmed US teams from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board were also heading to India with support from Boeing and GE Aerospace.
He told reporters it was "way too premature" to ground Boeing 787s in the aftermath of the crash.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said any British nationals requiring consular assistance, or who have concerns about family or friends, should call 020 7008 5000.