Canadian citizens are believed to be on the flight of Air India Her family confirmed Mississauga, Ontario.
Nirali Sureshkumar Patel's husband said she was on a London plane crashed in northwestern India last Thursday, killing at least 240 people.
Patel's dental clinic turned Canadian media over to her husband, who said he was booking a trip to India for himself and the couple's one-year-old.
“That’s my wife,” he said in a short call. “I don’t speak in a state now.”
He refused to provide his full name and asked for privacy for the family.
The plane crashed in a residential area in Ahmedabad, a city with more than 5 million people. It marks the worst aviation disaster in India in decades.
At least five of the dead were living in a hotel in a medical school and the plane crashed. A local hospital said it had received 186 bodies.
According to a doctor in the hospital, at least one person survived. The doctor identified the survivor as Vishwashkumar Ramesh and said his body suffered multiple injuries but did not appear to be dangerous. India's news channel played a video that seemed to show Ramesh covered in blood and left the crash site, with people running around behind him.
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Prime Minister Mark Carney said he felt “devastating” about the crash and regularly accepted the latest news about the situation confirming that Canadians are flying.
The Prime Minister added that Canadian transport officials are in close contact with international counterparts.
A biography published by Canadian dentist Patel on her clinic’s Heritage Dental Centre website, graduated from a dental college in India and moved to Canada.
The page says she is a hardworking person who believes in giving back to the community every year and volunteering to volunteer in a free dental bootcamp.
“My work has changed someone’s life and it has made my day glow,” Patel was quoted as why she became a dentist.
Ontario Prime Minister Doug Ford said he felt “sad” because he learned that Canadians were involved in the plane crash and expressed condolences to the families of all victims.
“We’ve been keeping you mind during this tough time,” he said in a social media post.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the crash “heartbreaking”.
“My thoughts are with everyone affected during this sad moment,” he said in a social media post.
King Charles' statement said he and Queen Camilla were “impatiently shocked by the horrible incident”.
“Our special prayer and deepest sympathy is for the family and friends of all those affected by shocking tragic events in many countries,” the king said.
According to Air India, the flight also carries 169 Indians, 53 British and 7 Portuguese nationals. The plane crashed five minutes after taking off at 1:38 pm local time.
India Television News Channel reported that the plane crashed above the dining area of the Medical College Hotel, and visual effects showed a portion of the plane on the top of the building.
The plane is a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner. This is the first crash of the Boeing 787 aircraft, according to the Aviation Security Network database.
Air Canada's fleet consists of eight Boeing 787-8 aircraft and 32 787-9 Dreamliners. The airline said the aircraft was “very safe and reliable to execute” when asked if the crash in India caused any safety issues.
Westjet, which has 787-9 Dreamliners in its fleet, also said it has “full confidence” in its staff, training and aircraft safety standards.
& Copy 2025 Canadian Press
