AI 171: For the Patnis, every aircraft carries a painful memory

Ahmedabad: Every time an aircraft crosses the skies above Meghaninagar, it carries with it a painful reminder of the afternoon that shattered the Patni family forever.

On June 12, 2025, 14-year-old Akash Patni, a Class 9 student, was helping his mother Sita Patni at his family’s tea stall near the BJ Medical College hostel when the Air India AI 171 plane crashed. He had stepped out to deliver a tiffin to his mother, and never returned home.

A year later, the family continues to live with the wounds of that day. Sita, who suffered nearly 25% burn injuries in the crash, still struggles with the trauma.

“My wife has not been able to sleep properly since Akash passed away. She starts trembling whenever a plane flies overhead,” said his father, Suresh Patni, an autorickshaw driver.

Unable to bear the sound of aircraft engines, Suresh often leaves home during take-offs and landings, spending hours driving around the city to escape the memories. The emotional burden has also affected his livelihood.

The family has permanently closed the tea stall where Akash once worked alongside his mother and avoids the crash site. Yet Suresh holds onto one final wish.

“I want to stand there at 1.40pm on a Friday, the exact moment the plane crashed, and pray for my son’s soul to rest in peace,” he said.