Woman-Escapes-Death-in-Air-India-Crash-That-Killed-241-People‘God Saved Me’: Woman Misses Doomed Air India Flight by 10 Minutes, 241 Dead

 

Bhoomi Chauhan was to be on Air India flight AI 171 to London. She got to the check-in counter 10 minutes late. Within minutes, the plane crashed, killing 241 passengers onboard, leaving behind a lone survivor.

“The flight was to depart at 1:10 PM. Boarding was closed at 12:10 PM, and I arrived at 12:20 PM. I pleaded with them to open the door for me, but they would not,” Bhoomi explained.

“I was angry and heading towards the exit when I got the news about the crash. I started shivering. My legs shook. I remained numb for a long time,” she said. “God saved me.”

Bhoomi, who resides in London with her spouse, was on vacation in India after two years. Bhoomi’s mother said she had left her child at home and was traveling alone. “We thank God for protecting her. She left her child with me, and I believe it’s because of that child, she was saved. By God’s grace, she came back home safely,” she said.

Flight Crashed Seconds After Take-Off

 

The Ahmedabad-London flight departed from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad at 1:10 PM on Thursday and crashed in just 30 seconds. The plane struck the residential complex of BJ Medical College doctors at Meghaninagar and burst into flames on impact.

Thick black smoke was seen billowing from the crash area, according to eyewitnesses. Rescue teams recovered bodies from the wreckage and transferred the injured to the City Civil Hospital.

 

One Survivor: British-Indian Man Survives with Injuries

 

Among the 242 passengers aboard, just one survived. Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, aged 40, is a British-Indian national, and he is undergoing treatment for chest wounds.

“Thirty seconds into the take-off, there was a big bang and then there was a crash. Everything happened at such a speed,” he said to Hindustan Times. His family claimed that he had no idea how he managed to survive. They suspect that he could have been ejected before the blaze erupted.

 

‘Mayday’ Call Issued, DVR Recovered

 

Air Traffic Control confirmed that the pilot had sent a ‘Mayday’ distress call shortly after take-off. Experts said the likely reasons could be a bird strike or engine failure.

Gujarat ATS retrieved a Digital Video Recorder (DVR) from the site. “It will be taken for forensic testing,” an officer added.

 

Centre Orders Probe

 

Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu stated that a high-level panel has been constituted to probe the cause of the crash. The committee will examine technical aspects, flying operations, and probable external factors.

While families in India and overseas continue to mourn the victims, Bhoomi Chauhan’s last-minute delay is being viewed as an unusual twist of fate.