Delayed by a week due to personal reasons, Monali and Sunny Patel from Gujarat’s Anand were among the 274 victims of AI171 crash in Ahmedabad
Anand, Gujarat: In a tragic turn of fate, Monali and Sunny Patel, residents of Anand — Gujarat’s ‘NRI City’ — lost their lives in the catastrophic crash of Air India Flight AI171 en route to London on June 12. The couple had originally planned to fly back on June 6 but rescheduled due to personal obligations. That decision sealed their fate, reported ndtv.com.
The couple’s last-minute change of travel plans placed them on the doomed Boeing 787, which crashed shortly after takeoff, claiming 274 lives, including 33 from Anand.
The city of Anand, located 76 km from Ahmedabad, is known for its deep NRI roots. Among the 274 passengers who perished, 33 hailed from this town. Most were either non-resident Indians or maintained strong ties abroad.
Monali and Sunny Patel had been visiting India for two months. Monali was undergoing medical treatment, while Sunny had taken leave from his business in London to accompany her. Their relative, Jignesh Patel, recounted how the couple had postponed their return flight by a week.
“They were very close to our family,” Jignesh said. “Monali was like a real sister to me. They had no children, but she was deeply attached to my two-year-old son.”
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On the morning of June 12, Jignesh, his wife, and son met Monali and Sunny to bid them farewell
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“She hugged me. She was happy. She said she’d come back soon,” Jignesh remembered
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Monali completed her check-in by 11 am and remained in touch with Jignesh until boarding. At 1:20 pm, she messaged to say all was well
Moments later, the aircraft crashed into the Ahmedabad Medical College complex. News trickled in amid confusion. Jignesh confirmed the couple was on board after checking the passenger list. “When I saw her name, I rushed to Ahmedabad,” he said.
Monali’s parents, Mukesh and Jayshree Patel, flew in from London the next day. Unaware of the crash’s severity, they were initially told the couple was in the ICU. At the Civil Hospital, Mukesh submitted a DNA sample to help identify his daughter’s remains. The process could take up to 72 hours.
“We couldn’t tell her mother everything at once,” Jignesh said. “We just said they were injured. She was in shock.”
Monali and Sunny had been married for seven years, their wedding held in London. Sunny frequently visited India, especially during the COVID-19 lockdown when he stayed for six months. “He always loved being here,” said Jignesh.
“Monali tied Rakhi on my wrist every year. She wasn’t just my cousin — she was my sister,” he added. “Even the neighborhood kids cried when they heard. She meant a lot to them.”
