Gujarat man who lost family in Air India crash faces UK deportation, moves court

CHENNAI: 28-year-old Mohammadmiya Sethwala from Gujarat, who lost his wife and toddler daughter in the Air India Flight AI-171 crash, is now facing deportation from the United Kingdom after his visa application was rejected, according to an Indian Express report.

Mohammadmiya from Vadodara, received an email from the UK Home Office on April 9 rejecting his application to stay in the country. He has been granted immigration bail until April 22 to leave the UK and return to India.

Still coping with the loss of his wife Sadiqa and daughter Fatima, he has approached a local UK court seeking relief from the deportation order. His solicitor is preparing to file an application to cancel the bail order.

If the court grants relief, Sethwala may be able to apply for a fresh visa, the report said.

He had moved to the UK in 2022 on a dependent visa along with his wife, who had travelled there to study International Business Management.

Air India crash

The Boeing 787-8, which was flying from Ahmedabad to London, crashed just minutes after take-off on June 12, 2025. It hit a medical College hostel building and burst into flames. The crash killed 260 people - 241 passengers and crew members, and 19 people on ground.