-1749740743472.webp)
- By Shivangi Sharma
- Thu, 12 Jun 2025 08:40 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
A British traveller's final moments in India, documented on Instagram, have become a poignant and tragic prelude to one of the worst aviation disasters in recent memory. Jamie Ray Meek, a UK-based wellness coach and director of The Wellness Foundry, shared videos of his last night in Ahmedabad before boarding Air India Flight AI171, an aircraft that crashed just minutes after takeoff on Thursday, killing nearly all 242 people onboard.
On Wednesday night, Jamie and his partner, Fiongal Greenlaw-Meek, reflected on their journey through India with heartfelt Instagram stories. They described their experience as “magical” and “mind-blowing,” expressing gratitude for their stay and their last meal. a traditional Gujarati thali, at the heritage House of MG hotel.
“So it’s our last night in India… it’s been a magical experience really,” said Fiongal in one of the videos. Jamie echoed this sentiment, saying, “There’s been too much... It would be so nice to remember this and share it with everybody… It was a perfect way to round up the trip.”
Last video of the passenger who boarded the flight from ahemdabad. A British national whose name is Jamie R Meek. Shares the experience of his visit to India. pic.twitter.com/tljrmse1d3
— Anushka Garg (@anushkagarg2000) June 12, 2025
Final Moments Before Takeoff
On Thursday morning, Jamie posted another short video from the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad. Appearing relaxed and smiling, he said: “We are at the airport just boarding. Goodbye India on a 10-hour flight back to London.”
He even offered a light-hearted relationship tip in the clip: “My biggest takeaway is to not lose your patience with your partner… Going back happily, happily, happily calm.”
Flight AI171 Ends In Disaster
Shortly after takeoff, Air India Flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner bound for London, crashed into a residential hostel for medical students in Ahmedabad at around 1:30 pm. The plane sent a mayday signal before disappearing from radar. Eyewitnesses reported seeing a thick plume of smoke rising from the crash site.
Emergency services rushed to the scene, with at least two dozen ambulances arriving to assist. One passenger, seated in 11A, miraculously survived and is undergoing treatment, according to Ahmedabad Police Commissioner GS Malik.
“The police found one survivor… The death toll may increase as the flight crashed in a residential area,” Malik told reporters.