What was supposed to be a celebratory goodbye message became a sad last-remembered moment for a couple who were on board the ill-fated Air India London-bound Flight AI171. British national Jamie Ray Meek, one of the reportedly on-board passengers, had posted a video on his Instagram story a few hours before the plane crashed soon after it took off from Gujarat’s Ahmedabad airport. The heartwarming clip, re-shared far and wide across social media, now is being lost as a tearful last look at two beaming faces before tragedy hit.
The viral video showed the couple saying goodbye to India, reminiscing about their adventure, and exchanging their joy. ‘Going back happily’, they declared with huge smiles. Several users commented that former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani was visible in the background at about the 0:37-second point of the clip. Jamie Meek was included in the official flight manifest as GBR 149261531.
The clip, uploaded by the account ‘thePulseGlobal’ on X (formerly Twitter), received more than 5,000 views and a burst of emotional comments from users.
Watch:
Flight Details and Crash Impact
Air India Flight AI171 took off from Runway 23 of Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at 1:39 PM. Unfortunately, the plane crashed into BJ Medical College hostel mess in the Meghaninagar neighborhood shortly after takeoff.
Pursuant to aviation regulator DGCA, a distress call indicated as ‘May Day’ was sent to the air traffic controller at Ahmedabad shortly after takeoff, yet no response was received. The aircraft had flown to a barometric height of 625 feet (while the airport itself is around 200 feet above sea level) before descending swiftly at the rate of -475 feet per minute. The impact rendered huge damage to buildings in the vicinity.
Rescue Operations and Damage Control
Emergency rescue and fire-fighting forces were soon sent to the site of the crash. Although the number of casualties has not been verified yet, ANI reports indicate that almost 70–80 percent of the affected area has already been cleared. Videos and images of the extent of the wreckage have overwhelmed the internet, with the public’s collective anguish and shock.
Responses to the Couple’s Last Video
A user posted, “Very sad. Condolences to those who have lost their lives. Is that former chief minister Vijay Rupani visible @0.37 second in this clip behind?” Another user stated, “Those young smiling assuring faces.will haunt for long. Om Shanti!!”
The melancholy was echoed in others: “Going back happy happy omg. This is just so heartbreaking,” and “Hey Ram. So sad to see this,” uttered two other users. One chimed in, “Such tragedies are always too heartbreaking.”