Just nine minutes at 1.38 pm yesterday pushed hundreds of families into despair as the London-bound Air India Dreamliner from Ahmedabad crashed into a hostel minutes after takeoff. Of the 242 people on board - passengers and crew - only one survived. Tragedy visited the families of the rest and at least one case - an entire family was wiped out.
This was the family of the doctor couple, who were about to begin a new life in London with their three children.
Dr Koni Vyas, a pathologist working at a private hospital in Banswara, Rajasthan, had resigned from her post last month to join her husband Pratik Joshi, a London-based doctor, with their three children -- five-year-old twin boys Pradyut and Nakul and eight-year-old daughter Miraya.
Before the flight took off, the family took a selfie. Minutes later, they were no more. The selfie is now being widely circulated on social media, bringing home the stark tragedy.
Her children were waiting in London
Rupal Ben Patel was living in London with her husband and three children for the last 15 years. She had come to India for medical treatment and was staying at her maternal home in Gujarat's Uttarsanda -- Kheda district - for 10 days.
She had undergone an operation and after her health improved, was about to join her family in London.
Her brother and sister-in-law had come to see her off at Ahmedabad airport. They got the horrific news after they reached home.
A Village In Mourning
Anju Sharma, a resident of Gujarat's Vadodara, was going to London to meet her elder daughter. Her entire village is now mourning her.
Her elderly parents have not been informed about the crash yet. Her father Jagdish Sharma, who is retired from the Indian Army, is bedridden due to brain haemorrhage and her mother has been ill for a long time. The family fears that they would not be able to survive the shock of Anju's death.
Talking to reporters, Anju's uncle Balkishan Sharma was unable to hold back tears.
Anju was a cheerful person and kept the family together, he said.
Anju's sister Nilu Sharma is heartbroken. Anju had made a video call to her after boarding the flight, but she could not take it.
Giving Papa a birthday surprise
Deepanshi Bhadoria, a medical student in the UK, had come to India a month ago to surprise her father on his birthday. A resident of Gujarat's Gandhinagar, she was returning to London on Thursday.
Deepanshi's father is working with the Central Bureau of Investigation.
The family which was very happy to unexpectedly see their daughter, is now deep in mourning.
She Came Back To Settle in India
Ranjita Gopakumar, a 39-year-old nurse from Kerala, had come from the UK four days ago to complete formalities for a government job. Wishing to give her children and elderly mother a safer and more stable life, she was contemplating a return to India.
She had returned to her village -- Pullad in South Kerala -- to finalise plans for a new house. Once done, she was returning to the UK to complete some formalities before settling in India.
"She was very happy and hopeful. She had a lot of plans. She had a lot of dreams," said her close relative.
Wedding Plans Turns To Ashes
Kinal Mistry worked in London and had met with an accident while in India. It needed long-term treatment but had to go to London to keep her work permit.
Sharing a last video of his daughter at the airport, her father Suresh Mistry said Kinal was about to be married. The marriage had been registered and the family from Gujarat's Anand had planned a grand celebration.
But instead of making preparations, Mr Mistry now has given DNA samples that would help identify her body. Desolately, he turns again to the video, where Kinal is seen going inside the airport and waving to the family.
