Nearly a year after the devastating Air India Flight 171 crash that claimed the lives of his wife and two-year-old daughter, a 28-year-old Indian-origin man is fighting a new battle to stay in the UK.The UK Home Office informed Mohammadiya Sethwala, originally from Vadodara in Gujarat, on April 9 that his request to remain in the country on humanitarian grounds had been rejected.The authorities released him on immigration bail until 22 April, and then ordered him to leave the UK.Sitoala moved to the UK in 2022 on a dependent visa linked to his wife Siddiqa, who was studying international business.The couple later settled in Rugby, where she obtained work and was on her way to obtaining a work permit, a move that would stabilize their future in Britain.This future was suddenly shattered on June 12, 2025, when Siddiqa and her baby Fatima were among the victims killed when the Ahmedabad-London flight crashed moments after take-off.
“I have nothing left”
Narrating his ordeal, Sitoala said he was working the morning shift on the day of the accident so that he could pick up his family from the airport.
Speaking to The Sun, he said: “I thought it had to be a different plane… It couldn’t be their plane, but it was.”This tragedy not only claimed his family but also took away the basis of his legal residency in the UK. His dependent visa expired earlier this year, and subsequent efforts to secure a new visa or work sponsorship have failed.Sithwala, who struggles with grief and mental health issues, says returning to India is not an option he can handle emotionally.
“There’s nothing left for me… I won’t be able to escape my sadness back home. But here I can start moving forward,” he told The Sun.
Legal battle
Setwala’s legal team is preparing to challenge the Home Office’s decision in a UK court, seeking to have the immigration bail order lifted. If successful, he may be allowed to apply again for a visa.His case has drawn criticism from activists and migrant rights groups, who say the exceptional humanitarian circumstances should warrant leniency.
However, the Home Office stated that all applications are strictly assessed in accordance with current immigration rules.
Life stopped in the middle of a dream
Friends say Sethwala began rebuilding his life in London with the support of relatives and a close-knit community after briefly returning to India after the accident.The crash of Air India Flight 171 remains one of the deadliest aviation disasters in recent years, killing passengers, cabin crew and people on the ground after the Boeing 787-8 crashed into a medical hostel building and burst into flames.