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A dentist working in Mississauga, Ont., was one of those who died on board the Air India flight, when it crashed shortly after takeoff in the Indian city of Ahmedabad on Thursday.
A family friend of Dr. Nirali Patel confirmed to Global News she was on board the failed flight heading from India to London, England, which led to the deaths of at least 240 people.
Patel worked as a registered dentist in Mississauga and lived in Etobicoke with her husband, who is also in dentistry, and their young child.
Her family friend, Don Patel, who knew her through volunteer work in the Toronto area, said Nirali’s family was in shock.
“For her husband, it was really shocking and devastating news,” he said, adding she’d headed to India for social visits with friends and family and was planning to return soon.
Don said Nirali’s family had flown to India as soon as news of the crash came through.
He said the family was grateful for the support it had received, including from the prime minister, but wanted privacy.
Nirali graduated from a dental college in India before moving to Canada, according to a biography posted on the website of her clinic, the Heritage Dental Centre.
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She was a hardworking person who believed in giving back to the community and volunteered at a free dental camp every year, the page reads.
“The feeling that my work has made a difference in someone’s life brightens my day,” Nirali is quoted as saying about why she became a dentist.
News of the crash came on Thursday morning, when a Boeing 787 crashed shortly after takeoff, killing at least 240 people on board and on the ground.
Just one person survived the aviation disaster, which videos show involved a fiery explosion.
Premier Doug Ford shared a statement after the tragedy and offered his condolences to the family.
“I’m saddened to learn that a Canadian from Mississauga, Ontario, was among those lost in the tragic Air India crash near Ahmedabad,” he wrote on social media.
“On behalf of the people of Ontario, I extend my deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of every victim. We are keeping you in our thoughts during this difficult time.”
Prime Minister Mark Carney also expressed shock and sadness at the crash.
“Devastated to learn of the crash of a London-bound Air India plane in Ahmedabad,” Carney wrote on X. “Canada’s transportation officials are in close contact with counterparts and I am receiving regular updates as the response to this tragedy unfolds.”
His Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi, called the events “heartbreaking beyond words.”
“In this sad hour, my thoughts are with everyone affected,” he said in a social media post.
The flight was carrying 169 Indians, 53 Britons and seven Portuguese nationals in addition to the lone Canadian, according to Air India. The plane crashed five minutes after takeoff at 1:38 p.m. local time.
— with files from Global News’ Sean Previl and The Canadian Press
© 2025 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
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