In a social media post, Gloucester Muslim Community said Akeel Nanabawa, his wife Hannaa and their four-year-old daughter Sara had died in the tragic crash in Ahmedabad, India
Three Britons who died in the Air India plane crash have been named.
In a statement posted on Facebook, Gloucester Muslim Community said Akeel Nanabawa, his wife Hannaa and their four-year-old daughter Sara had died in the crash. They said: “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.”
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner was carrying more than 240 people from the city of Ahmedabad to Gatwick Airport when it collided with a medical college shortly after take-off on Thursday, sparking a huge fireball. British man Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, 40, is believed to be the only survivor of the crash.
Images taken after the incident showed debris from the plane scattered around the area, including parts of the fuselage, tail and landing gear embedded in the B J Medical College building. Air India said 169 Indian nationals, 53 Britons, one Canadian and seven Portuguese nationals were on board the aircraft at the time of the crash.
Tata Group, the parent company of Air India, said it would provide 10 million rupees (around £86,000) to the families of those who were killed in the crash. The company said it would also cover the medical costs of those injured and provide support in the “building up” of the medical college the plane crashed into.
Former British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he and his wife Askhata Murty, who is originally from India, are “deeply shocked and distressed” after the tragedy. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the crash was “absolutely devastating” and that the investigation will “take some time.” Earlier today, No 10 indicated the public should be prepared for a significant loss of British lives following the crash.
Asked if the public should prepare for a significant loss of life, a No 10 spokesman said: “Yes. As the PM said this morning, the scenes emerging of the London-bound plane carrying many British nationals crashing in the Indian city at Ahmedabad are devastating. Clearly this is a deeply distressing time for families. The situation is still unfolding.” The PM has “conveyed his condolences” to his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi, Downing Street also said.
UK officials are also being deployed to India to support the investigation into the plane crash. The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) said: “The UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch has formally offered its assistance to the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, India.
“In addition, the UK AAIB will have expert status in the Indian safety investigation. This is in accordance with Icao annex 13 because UK citizens were on board the aircraft. We are deploying a multidisciplinary investigation team to India to support the Indian-led investigation. Our thoughts are with all those affected by this tragic accident.”