Candlelit vigils held for plane crash victims

Vigils have been held in London to remember the victims of the Air India plane crash.

In Harrow, a multi-faith service was held where the mayor said two young girls had lost their father in the disaster, just weeks after their mother died from cancer.

Another vigil held outside the Indian Embassy in Aldwych was attended by about 100 people, who lit candles and shared prayers.

More than 240 people were killed on Thursday when a Boeing 787 bound for Gatwick crashed shortly after take-off in Ahmedabad.

There were 169 Indian nationals, 53 Britons, seven Portuguese nationals and one Canadian on the flight.

At the Indian Embassy on Sunday, many of those present said they had family members who died in the tragedy.

The mood was quiet and somber as candles flickered in silence and mourners shared stories, prayers and moments of reflection.

Some had travelled from as far as Leicester and Bradford to attend.

Nilesh Solanki, 50, from the City Hindus Network and Action for Harmony, told those gathered: "When so many lives are lost in an instant, it's hard to comprehend - and we ask the question why.

"Families, hopes, friends, people - vanished.

"Without even knowing the individuals, we felt the pain of these families.

"Coming together in this way is really important - it's a lesson for all of us to reflect."

Several mourners were brought to tears during the vigil as names of the victims were read out.

Organiser Pranav Bhanot, 36, a lawyer from London, said: "We felt so helpless hearing about the crash.

"We wanted to do something special to remember and recognise them."

At the multi-faith service on Saturday at the Siddhashram Shakti Centre in Harrow, north-west London, Mayor of Harrow Anjana Patel said 20 of the victims had previously worshipped there.

Patel also told those gathered at the event that one victim, Arjun Patoliya, had flown to Gujarat to scatter his wife Bharti's ashes following her death.

He was returning home to his daughters, aged four and eight, when the plane went down.

"The saddest incident we have got here in Harrow is one parent had already died here because of cancer," Patel said.

"The husband went to do the rituals in India and coming back, he was on board. He has left two little girls behind and the girls are now orphans.

"I really hope that those girls will be looked after by all of us."

She added: "Caring is the most that we can do at this hour.

"We don't have any words to describe how the families and friends must be feeling, so what we can do is pray for them."

She also revealed how her sister-in-law's cousin had been killed in the crash.

Local councillors, a local MP and residents packed into the temple for the ceremony, which included emotional tributes, candle lighting and a message of condolence from the King.

Bob Blackman, MP for Harrow East, said it was believed to be the highest number of British deaths ever recorded in a plane crash, with 53 UK nationals on board.

"When someone dies in illness or old age, we celebrate their lives," he said. "But when an air crash happens - completely unpredictable - people are taken away from us immediately, just like that.

"We think of all those families sitting by the telephone, wondering if their loved ones were actually on the plane."

He said the Gujarati community in the UK was deeply affected, with victims having links to Harrow, Leicester, Birmingham and beyond.

He added: "The difficulty the authorities have already got is: who are they visiting? Which family members were they coming to see in the UK?"

Councillor Hitesh Karia, who represents Pinner South ward and is a member of the temple's congregation, also shared the impact of the tragedy.

He said: "It's nice that the local community can come together - the local support means a lot.

"Twenty devotees that come here have sadly lost their lives.

"It shows there is a solidarity, and despite the high amount of diversity, we can come together when appropriate."

The vigil was led by Shri Rajrajeshwar Guruji, who said he knew 20 of the victims personally.

Many in the hall quietly wept as candles were lit by representatives from the Hindu, Muslim, Christian and Jewish communities.

"The only feeling left is sadness - we can't do any more," Mr Guruji said.

Additional reporting from PA Media.

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