[Ammi]

…one of the passenger stories emerging…


Girls orphaned when father died in Air India crash after scattering wife’s ashes


Two children were orphaned when their father was killed in the Air India plane crash after travelling to scatter his wife’s ashes in her homeland, according to a fundraiser for the family.

Arjun Patoliya, 37, was killed 18 days after his wife Bharti had died from cancer, the GoFundMe page to support their daughters, aged four and eight, said.

The Briton had travelled to Gujarat to fulfil his wife’s “final wish”.

By Saturday afternoon more than £370,000 had been raised to help the girls.

The fundraiser, organised by Mr Patoliya’s colleague, said: “Their mother, Bharti Patoliya, passed away after a courageous battle with cancer.

“Fulfilling her final wish, her husband Arjun Patoliya travelled to India to scatter her ashes in her homeland in Gujarat.”

It added: “Arjun left to bid farewell to his wife, never returned to the children they both raised.

“Now, these two beautiful young girls have been left without parents — their world turned upside down in just over two weeks.”