Ahmedabad man who had come for father's funeral meets with untimely death in AI plane crash

In a heart-wrenching turn of events, 30-year-old Lawrence Daniel Christian, who had returned to Ahmedabad following his father’s death just two weeks ago, was among the victims of the tragic Air India flight crash near the Ahmedabad airport on Thursday.

Lawrence, the only son in the family, had been residing in London for the past one-and-a-half years, where he was simultaneously pursuing higher education and working. He lived there with his wife Ayushi. The couple had dreams of building a future abroad and hoped to bring their family over in the near future. His wife had stayed back at their London home.

According to family members who live in Ramol-New Maninagar, Lawrence had arrived in Ahmedabad on May 31 to attend the funeral of his father, who had passed away just two days earlier, on May 29. Merely 16 days later, the grieving family was struck by another blow as Lawrence lost his life in the crash of Air India’s AI-171, a Boeing Dreamliner bound for London Gatwick. 

On the day of the crash, Lawrence had reportedly made a video call to his family from inside the flight, moments before takeoff. The family later learnt of the tragedy when they saw news reports of former Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani was onboard the ill-fated plane. It was only upon cross-verification that the shocking reality of Lawrence’s death was confirmed.

His wife Ayushi is not ready to accept that Lawrence is no more. She wants to visit Ahmedabad, but is afraid of boarding a flight and wants someone from Ahmedabad to come and fetch her.

A wave of anguish has swept through the Christian household, with his mother and sister inconsolable. “We lost him just as we began to heal,” said a family friend outside their residence, where mourners from across the community had gathered.

Lawrence's life, marked by ambition and deep familial bonds, came to an abrupt end just as he had begun to lay the foundation for a new chapter. His untimely demise has plunged the family—already reeling from a recent bereavement—into a state of profound grief.

The Air India flight crashed shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad airport on Thursday afternoon, with all 242 onboard feared dead. Rescue operations are ongoing, and investigations by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) are underway to determine the cause of the crash.