Tragic Story of Pratik Joshi, Komi Vyas: Family of 5 Killed in Air India Plane Crash

In a world that often celebrates dreams that come true, some stories break our hearts even as they remind us of life’s unpredictable fragility. One such story is that of Dr. Pratik Joshi and his family — a story of hope, of sacrifice, of ambition — and, tragically, of an abrupt, devastating end.

For the past six years, Dr. Pratik Joshi, a dedicated medical professional, has been living and working in London. Like many before him, he carried the hopes of a better life, not just for himself, but for his wife, Dr. Komi Vyas, also a medical doctor, and their three young children who were living in India.

Every hour of overtime, every lonely night away from family, and every bureaucratic hurdle was endured with one goal: to eventually reunite his family in a place where he believed they would have better opportunities and a brighter future.

Two days ago, that vision was finally taking shape. Dr. Komi Vyas resigned from her job in India. The house was packed. Friends and family were bid farewell with teary hugs and warm wishes. The children, bubbling with excitement, were told they’d soon be calling London “home.”

On the morning of their departure, filled with hope and anticipation, the family boarded Air India Flight 171 to London. Before takeoff, they snapped a cheerful selfie — the kind of families send to relatives in family WhatsApp groups, marking the beginning of a new chapter.

That photo would become the last known image of them alive.

Shortly after takeoff, tragedy struck. Flight AI-171 crashed, killing everyone on board. The dreams, the plans, the future — all perished in a matter of moments.

Five lives gone. Three young children who barely began to live. Two brilliant doctors who had devoted their lives to healing others — silenced forever. What was supposed to be a one-way journey to a better life turned out to be their final goodbye.

This isn’t just a story about one family. It’s a cruel reminder of life’s unbearable uncertainty. We spend years building, striving, planning — for tomorrow, next month, next year. And then, sometimes, life has other plans.

Their story compels us to pause.

To reflect.

To understand that everything we love, everything we hope for, hangs by a thread.

So while we’re here—while we’re alive—let us love more freely, live more deeply, and hold our people a little closer. Let’s not postpone our happiness for a day that may never come.

For Dr. Pratik Joshi and his family, that day never did.

May their souls rest in peace, and may their story urge us to cherish every moment we’re given.