The family devastated by the Air India crash now faces deportation from the UK; they were denied visas on humanitarian grounds.

News Topical, Digital Desk : After losing his wife and two-year-old daughter in the Air India flight crash, Mohammadmiya Sethwala was slowly starting to rebuild his life. Meanwhile, a new challenge has arisen. According to reports, 28-year-old Mohammadmiya Sethwala, an Indian-born resident, is now fighting to stay in the United Kingdom.

In fact, on April 9, Mohammadmiya Sethwala, a resident of Vadodara, Gujarat, was informed by the UK Home Office that his application to remain in the country on humanitarian grounds had been rejected. Authorities placed him on immigration bail until April 22, and directed him to leave the UK after that. Sethwala came to the UK in 2022 on a dependent visa for his wife, Sadika, who was studying International Business Management there.

After her studies were completed, the couple settled in Rugby; Sadika found a job and was on her way to obtaining a work permit. Meanwhile, on June 12, 2025, everything came to an abrupt end when a flight from Ahmedabad to London crashed shortly after takeoff. Sadika and her young daughter, Fatima, were among the 241 people killed in the accident.

I have nothing left now: Sethwala

Narrating his ordeal, Sethwala said he was working the morning shift on the day of the accident so he could pick up his family at the airport. Speaking to The Sun, he said, "I thought it was another flight. It couldn't have been their flight, but unfortunately, it was theirs."

This tragic incident not only took away his family, but also destroyed his legal basis for staying in the UK. His dependent visa expired earlier this year, and all subsequent attempts to obtain a new visa or job sponsorship have been unsuccessful.

Sethwaala, who is struggling with grief and mental health issues, says returning to India is not an option for him, as he will be unable to cope emotionally with the trauma. He further told The Sun: “I have nothing left now. I will never be able to recover from this grief by returning home. But by staying here, I can start moving forward with my life.”

Sethwala to fight one last legal battle

Now, Sethwala's legal team is preparing to challenge the Home Office's decision in a UK court. They are aiming to have the immigration bail order revoked. If successful, he may be able to apply for a new visa.

His case has been criticized by activists and migrant rights groups, who argue that leniency should be shown given the unique humanitarian circumstances. However, the Home Ministry has clarified that all applications are processed in accordance with existing immigration rules.

Read More: China is growing rapidly, surpassing the US in research spending; what does it mean for India.