Bhoomi Chauhan, a 28-year-old Indian student living in the UK Air India crash, says she owes her life to a traffic jam that made her miss Air India Flight AI171, which tragically crashed just seconds after takeoff from Ahmedabad on Thursday.
Speaking to BBC Gujarati, Bhoomi recalled the deep frustration she felt when she and her driver arrived at the airport just 10 minutes after boarding closed. Airline staff refused to let her board the London-bound flight despite her pleas and a valid digital boarding pass Air India crash.
‘We were just 10 minutes late’
Chauhan, who studies business administration and lives in Bristol with her husband, was visiting her family in Ankleshwar, Gujarat. She traveled nearly 200 km to Ahmedabad but got stuck in bumper-to-bumper city traffic just before reaching the airport.
“We were angry at the driver for the delay. I felt so disappointed. I kept asking the airline staff to let me on. I told them, ‘I’m the last passenger, please allow me.’ But they wouldn’t let me board,” she said.
The Miracle Call Air India crash
After being denied boarding, Bhoomi and her family stepped out for tea to calm down. That’s when the news hit her phone: Flight AI171 had crashed shortly after takeoff.
“I was devastated moments earlier. Then I got the call saying the plane went down,” she said. “It’s a miracle I missed it. Traffic saved my life.”
Flight AI171: A National Tragedy
The Air India Dreamliner was headed to London Gatwick with 253 people on board, including 12 crew. It crashed within 30 seconds of takeoff, hitting a residential neighborhood and killing 241 passengers, 8 people on the ground, and all but one crew member. Only one known survivor has been confirmed.
Among the deceased were 53 British nationals, including entire families from Gloucester and London. Canadian and Portuguese nationals were also on board.
Emergency services worked overnight to identify victims and recover the wreckage as investigators from the DGCA and Boeing examine what went wrong.
‘I will never forget this day’
Bhoomi’s boarding pass, showing seat 36G, is now a grim reminder of how close she came to tragedy. Despite her relief, the reality of the disaster has left her shaken.
“It’s something I will never forget. Just 10 minutes earlier, and I wouldn’t be here. I thank God—and even that awful traffic—for saving my life,” she said.
Key Takeaways:
- Bhoomi Chauhan missed Flight AI171 by 10 minutes due to city traffic.
- She was denied boarding despite having checked in online.
- 241 passengers, including many Britons, were killed in the crash.
- She describes her escape as a miracle and urges prayers for the victims.