'Loved and adored' man killed in India plane crash

Tributes have been paid to a "loved and adored" man who died in a plane crash in India.

Ashwin Harrington, 27, from Sudbury, Suffolk, was one of the 242 passengers and crew killed when a London-bound Air India aircraft crashed in Ahmedabad on Thursday.

Mr Harrington, known as Ash to friends and family, had attended Thomas Gainsborough School in Sudbury and West Suffolk College in Bury St Edmunds.

Connor Mann, 27, was a close friend for 15 years and said it had been "hard to put into words" what Mr Harrington meant to him.

"He was an incredible guy," Mr Mann said.

"He made us all constantly laugh and smile with his infectious laugh.

"He was a truly great friend who never upset anyone because of how kind and down to earth he was.

"He was loved and adored by all of his family and friends and it's a hole that will never be filled because he was such a huge part of all of our lives.

"I don't think anyone can prepare you for such a loss."

Mr Mann said the pair had met in school and spent a lot of time together in the same friendship group.

They enjoyed attending boxing events, days out in London and time visiting pubs.

"As a group of friends and, of course, his family, it's something that you'd never in a million years expect to hear," he added.

"We're all just trying to support one another."

Mr Mann was due to compete in a Total Warrior obstacle course with Mr Harrington in Leeds on Saturday.

He has decided to still do the event while fundraising for Mr Harrington's funeral costs for his family.

Mr Harrington's brother, Jay Harrington, 24, added that he had "never met a person" like his brother before.

"I'm grateful that he's given me a solid group of friends that I'll spend the rest of my life with, I will always be eternally grateful for that," he said.

"[Ashwin] never tried to impress, dressed how he wanted, spoke to people how he wanted, he was his own man."

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Iain Mapley is a business lecturer who taught Mr Harrington at West Suffolk College in 2014-15.

He said it was a "real shock to hear this devastating news".

"I taught Ashwin for a year during his time at West Suffolk College and he was always a pleasure to teach; applying himself well and making the most of his time at college," he said.

"I'd like to send my heartfelt sympathies to all of his family and friends as they come to terms with this unimaginable tragedy."

A spokesperson for Unity Schools Partnership, that looks after Thomas Gainsborough School, added: "We are very sad to hear of this tragedy and our thoughts go out to the family and friends of the deceased."

All but one of the passengers on board the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner died in the crash shortly after take-off in western India.

It is believed at least eight local people, including four medical students, living in a residential area of Ahmedabad where the plane came down, also died.

Investigators have since recovered the cockpit voice recorder as well as the flight data recorder, known as the black box.

India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau is leading the inquiry into the cause of the crash, helped by teams from the US and the UK.

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