A heartbroken father, left with nothing after the tragic loss of his wife and only child in the Air India catastrophe, faces deportation from the UK imminently. Mohammad Sethwala, 27, endured the devastating loss of his wife Sadikabanu Tapeliwala, 24, and their two-year-old daughter Fatima in the fatal Air India Flight 171 crash last June. The incident claimed the lives of 242 individuals as their Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner plummeted into a medical college hostel in Ahmedabad, erupting into flames shortly after takeoff.
Despite still grappling with grief, Mohammad received the news that his application to remain in the UK under “compassionate and compelling circumstances” had been denied. He recounted arriving in the country in 2022 on a dependent visa, dependent on his wife’s primary status, which allowed them to reside in Ilford while she pursued studies at Ulster University in Holborn. However, their permissions expired seven months after her tragic passing.
On the day of the plane crash, Mohammad had taken an early shift to collect his family from the airport, only to receive a devastating call from his father in India about the incident. Initially in disbelief, he soon realized the harsh reality. Learnings later revealed that his wife and daughter were among the deceased, leaving him shattered. Facing the expiration of his visa, he was informed that he did not meet the criteria for the bereaved spouse category.
Despite seeking to remain in the UK due to exceptional circumstances, Mohammad’s plea was turned down recently. As he awaits deportation, currently on “immigration bail” until April 22, he expressed the distress of being compelled to return to India, hindering his ability to overcome his profound loss. Mohammad emphasized that if his wife were alive, he would have been allowed to stay, highlighting the investments made in their life in the UK and the emotional turmoil of returning to a place filled with painful memories.
Through these challenging times, Mohammad faces the looming prospect of leaving the UK, a situation that obstructs his path to healing and moving forward from the tragedy that has left him with unbearable sorrow.