A doctor, her kids, a flight to London: One final selfie before Air India tragedy struck
The selfie, now a chilling final image, showed the parents smiling across the aisle from their children, moments before takeoff.
- Jun 13, 2025,
- Updated Jun 13, 2025 8:14 AM IST
They were chasing a dream—until it turned into a nightmare. Dr. Koni Vyas, her husband Dr. Pratik Joshi, and their three young children had just snapped a joyful selfie aboard an Air India flight, minutes before the aircraft crashed, killing all on board.
The family of five was en route to London to begin a new chapter. Koni, a pathologist, had resigned from her post at Pacific Hospital in Banswara, Rajasthan. Her husband, Pratik, a radiologist, had returned from London just three days earlier to bring them back with him. Their three children—eight-year-old Miraya and five-year-old twins Pradyut and Nakul—were finally ready to reunite with their father after years apart.
The selfie, now a chilling final image, showed the parents smiling across the aisle from their children, moments before takeoff.
“They were so happy,” said cousin Nayan Joshi. “They’d been preparing for this move for a month.”
The couple had married nearly a decade ago. While Pratik built a career in the UK, Koni lived in Udaipur with the kids, waiting on visa clearances. “She had temporarily moved to Banswara while finishing the paperwork,” Nayan added.
On Wednesday, the family traveled to Ahmedabad for the London-bound flight. Relatives accompanied them to the airport, not knowing it would be their final goodbye. Now, those same family members are identifying bodies.
Koni is survived by two sisters and a brother. Pratik hailed from a family of medical professionals: his father, a respected radiologist, runs a well-known sonography clinic in Banswara; his sister is an engineer.
So far, officials have confirmed 11 Rajasthani passengers among the victims.
The crash has sent shockwaves across the state. Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma called it “extremely sad and worrying.” Former CM Ashok Gehlot said it was “heartbreaking.”
The selfie meant to mark a new beginning now stands as a haunting memorial to a family’s final moments—full of hope, love, and unfulfilled promise.
They were chasing a dream—until it turned into a nightmare. Dr. Koni Vyas, her husband Dr. Pratik Joshi, and their three young children had just snapped a joyful selfie aboard an Air India flight, minutes before the aircraft crashed, killing all on board.
The family of five was en route to London to begin a new chapter. Koni, a pathologist, had resigned from her post at Pacific Hospital in Banswara, Rajasthan. Her husband, Pratik, a radiologist, had returned from London just three days earlier to bring them back with him. Their three children—eight-year-old Miraya and five-year-old twins Pradyut and Nakul—were finally ready to reunite with their father after years apart.
The selfie, now a chilling final image, showed the parents smiling across the aisle from their children, moments before takeoff.
“They were so happy,” said cousin Nayan Joshi. “They’d been preparing for this move for a month.”
The couple had married nearly a decade ago. While Pratik built a career in the UK, Koni lived in Udaipur with the kids, waiting on visa clearances. “She had temporarily moved to Banswara while finishing the paperwork,” Nayan added.
On Wednesday, the family traveled to Ahmedabad for the London-bound flight. Relatives accompanied them to the airport, not knowing it would be their final goodbye. Now, those same family members are identifying bodies.
Koni is survived by two sisters and a brother. Pratik hailed from a family of medical professionals: his father, a respected radiologist, runs a well-known sonography clinic in Banswara; his sister is an engineer.
So far, officials have confirmed 11 Rajasthani passengers among the victims.
The crash has sent shockwaves across the state. Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma called it “extremely sad and worrying.” Former CM Ashok Gehlot said it was “heartbreaking.”
The selfie meant to mark a new beginning now stands as a haunting memorial to a family’s final moments—full of hope, love, and unfulfilled promise.