Two children left orphaned after dad dies in Air India crash on way home from fulfilling his late wife's 'final wish'

Some 48 hours on from the Air India tragedy, more information about the deceased and the families they've left behind is coming to light.

The flight in question was carrying over 200 people at the time of the crash, in which only one passenger survived.

Meanwhile, those on the ground have also been affected by the tragedy. As of today (June 14), 29 people that were on the ground have died, making the total death toll 270, Sky News reports.

One man to have died on the plane was 37-year-old British national Arjun Patoliya.

Arjun had been visiting India to fulfil his late wife Bharti's final wish to scatter her ashes in her hometown of Gujarat. She died just two weeks ago 'after a courageous battle with cancer'.

An Air India plane crash as claimed the lives of nearly 300 people (Ritesh Shukla/Getty Images)

But the Patoliya family are now facing a double tragedy as Arjun has been named as one of the 270 people who died in Thursday's plane crash, leaving his and Bharti's two daughters, ages just four and eight, orphaned.

In the wake of their heartbreak, a GoFundMe page has been set up to help raise money to go towards Arjun and Bharti's children's futures.

"In a span of just 18 days, two young sisters — only 4 and 8 years old — have lost both of their beloved parents," the heartbreaking bio of the fundraiser reads.

"Their mother, Bharti Patoliya, passed away after a courageous battle with cancer. Fulfilling her final wish, her husband, Arjun Patoliya, travelled to India to scatter her ashes in her homeland in Gujarat. But on his journey home to their daughters, tragedy struck again — Arjun was among those lost in the Air India Flight Tragedy in June 2025, shortly after takeoff in Ahmedabad.

"Arjun left to bid farewell to his wife, never returned to the children they both raised. Now, these two beautiful young girls have been left without parents — their world turned upside down in just over two weeks."

Two young girls have been left without a mom and a dad after Thursday's crash (GoFundMe)

The page has a target of £500,000 [$678,250], all of which 'will go directly to a legal trust or the appointed guardians to ensure every penny is dedicated to the girls' needs'.

At the time of writing, over £333,000 has been raised for the two young girls, with some people having already donated thousands of pounds individually. One anonymous donator has put £5,000 into the fundraiser.

If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence, contact GrieveWell on (734) 975-0238, or email [email protected].