In a devastating detail emerging from the terrible Air India disaster near Ahmedabad, it has been revealed that Maithili Patil, a young and loyal cabin crew member, called her father only minutes before takeoff, vowing to speak again after arriving in London. Her family will never hear her voice again after that call.
Patil, known to her coworkers for her professionalism and exuberant positivity, was one among the 265 persons killed when the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed shortly after takeoff. Her family, shattered by the news, described her as “full of life and dreams,” with a passion for flying that began in her teens.
“She said, ‘Papa, I’ll call you when I arrive in London. Don’t worry, it’s a smooth flight,’” her father recounted, barely holding back tears. “She never broke a promise. This is the first time.” As tributes pour in from colleagues and friends, Maithili is being remembered not just for her service, but for the warmth and compassion she brought to every journey.
Her story is just one of many heartbreaks in the aftermath of the catastrophe, which shook the nation and prompted increased calls for a closer look at airline safety procedures. For families like the Patils, the pain is unfathomable, and memories are now all they have to cling on to.
