Amid the smouldering wreckage of the devastating Air India Flight 171 crash in Ahmedabad lies a story of hope turned heartbreak — one captured forever in a single, tragic selfie.

Aboard the ill-fated Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner was a young family from Rajasthan, embarking on a new chapter in their lives. Dr. Komi Vyas, a dedicated medical professional from Udaipur, had recently resigned from her position at Pacific Hospital. She was relocating to London to reunite with her husband, Dr. Prateek Joshi, a radiologist who had moved to the UK months earlier. Accompanying them were their three children — twin boys Nakul and Pradyut, aged five, and their eight-year-old daughter, Miraya.

Just moments before takeoff, Dr. Joshi captured a selfie that now serves as a haunting reminder of what was lost. In the photograph, he and Dr. Vyas are seen smiling from one side of the aisle, while their children, seated opposite, look toward the camera — the twins offering shy smiles and Miraya beaming brightly.

According to a report by NDTV, a spokesperson from Pacific Hospital — where both doctors had previously worked — said, “They were so happy. Komi had finally quit her job to begin a new life with her family abroad. Everyone at the hospital is devastated.”

Dr. Joshi had returned to Banswara earlier this week to bring his family to London. On Wednesday, the family travelled to Ahmedabad to board their flight.

According to relatives, several family members accompanied them to the airport to bid farewell. “Prateek was excited. He had been waiting a long time for this day,” said his cousin, Nayan.

Dr. Komi’s brother, Prabuddha, recalled their ten-year marriage fondly. “They were truly partners in every sense,” he said.

Flight AI 171 took off from Ahmedabad airport at 1:37pm on Thursday. Tragically, within 32 seconds of becoming airborne, the aircraft suffered a catastrophic failure and plunged back to the ground, erupting into a massive fireball at 1:38pm. All 242 people on board — including 230 passengers, 10 crew members, and two pilots — perished.

As investigators search for answers, the Joshi family’s final photograph stands as a poignant symbol of the lives and dreams lost in one of India’s deadliest aviation disasters.