Nirali Patel, who was the only Canadian national, in the tragic Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad on Thursday that claimed the lives of 241 people onboard the flight was an Indian-origin dentist.
The 32-year-old Toronto resident, who hailed from Etobicoke, was returning to Canada after a short personal visit to India when the flight crashed shortly after takeoff, killing her along with others. Patel's husband is reportedly planning to travel to India with their one-year-old child following the tragedy.
The ill-fated London-bound Air India flight was carrying 242 passengers and crew, including 169 Indians, 53 British, seven Portuguese nationals, and one Canadian, along with 12 crew members. The aircraft crashed into a residential area near a medical college hostel in Ahmedabad, killing 241 people in what is now among India's deadliest aviation disasters. Only one passenger survived.
‘Absolutely shocking’: Community in mourning
Don Patel, a community leader and family acquaintance in Brampton, said the news left everyone devastated. “There are no words in this grievance,” he told CTV News. Nirali had been in India for just four to five days. Her parents, brother, and sister-in-law live in Brampton. “I briefly spoke to her brother, but he was too shocked to speak,” Don added.
Patel, who earned her dental degree in India in 2016, received her Canadian license in 2019 and had been working at a Mississauga dental clinic.
Tributes pour in from Canadian leaders
Ontario Premier Doug Ford expressed sorrow over Patel’s death, posting on X: “On behalf of the people of Ontario, I extend my deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of every victim.”
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said he was “devastated” by the crash. “My thoughts are with the loved ones of everyone on board,” he said, adding that Canadian officials were in close contact with international counterparts.
Foreign Minister Anita Anand also described the loss as “devastating,” stating Canada is closely monitoring the situation.