A pregnant woman in her seventh month and her husband were among the victims of the Air India plane disaster.

Vaibhav Patel, aged 29, and his 27-year-old spouse Jinal Goswami had traveled to Ahmedabad to celebrate their impending parenthood with a baby shower.

The couple had been residing in Croydon, London, after relocating from Southampton, Hampshire, where Mr. Patel was employed.

A close friend, Nirav Patel, shared with the BBC that the couple was filled with joy and anticipation for the arrival of their first child.

Their funeral service took place in India on Monday.

Nirav, who lives in Southampton, noted that he had known Vaibhav for over ten years, having met in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.

He described Vaibhav, who had been married to Jinal for four years, as a “wonderful person who was always there for his family and friends.”

“When he was in Southampton, we spent a lot of time together. We both worked at Papa John’s in Portswood.”

“The couple was in Ahmedabad to enjoy their baby shower, which took place on June 5. They were filled with happiness as Jinal was seven months pregnant.”

Nirav mentioned that Vaibhav took on the role of the family’s primary supporter back in India, as he had lost his father.

He expressed that the news of the tragedy was an incredible shock to him and their relatives in India.

“He called me two days prior to the flight to inform me he would be returning home,” Nirav said.

“We shared a deep friendship and created so many joyful memories together, exploring places like Goa and Rajasthan. This is an enormous loss.”

The manager of Papa John’s in Portswood, Southampton, where Vaibhav had formerly worked, referred to him as a “true gentleman.”

Harshil Thaker commented that his former employee “was dedicated and a devoted family man.”

The flight included 169 Indian nationals, 53 British citizens, seven Portuguese nationals, and one Canadian.

Medical personnel in India report that they have recovered 270 bodies from the crash site.