Bhoomi Chauhan's journey home from western India turned into a tale of luck when she missed her Air India flight to London Gatwick by just ten minutes due to frustrating traffic delays. The 28-year-old student, who resides in Bristol, was scheduled to board AI171, a flight that would tragically end in disaster shortly after takeoff, claiming the lives of 241 people onboard and leaving grief-stricken families in its wake.
Chauhan's journey began in Ankleshwar, located 201 kilometers south of Ahmedabad, but traffic congestion in the city center became a relentless obstacle. Arriving at the airport at 12:20 PM local time, she was just ten minutes late for boarding, but airline staff denied her boarding despite her online check-in. Frustrated and upset, she left the airport, only to receive a shocking call moments later: the plane had crashed.
"This is totally a miracle for me," Chauhan reflected, her emotions still raw. After rightly feeling dejected about missing the flight, she recounted, "I was thinking, 'If I had started a little earlier, I would have boarded the plane.'" The flight took off on schedule but faced immediate trouble, crashing about thirty seconds in and devastating the local area.
Among the deceased passengers were numerous nationals, including British, Portuguese, and Canadian citizens, with entire families lost in the tragedy. Emergency responders were on the scene late into the night, working tirelessly to recover victims and debris. As the investigation unfolds, Chauhan's close call remains a stark reminder of life's unpredictability, leaving her to grapple with her relief and the sorrow felt for lost lives.
Chauhan's journey began in Ankleshwar, located 201 kilometers south of Ahmedabad, but traffic congestion in the city center became a relentless obstacle. Arriving at the airport at 12:20 PM local time, she was just ten minutes late for boarding, but airline staff denied her boarding despite her online check-in. Frustrated and upset, she left the airport, only to receive a shocking call moments later: the plane had crashed.
"This is totally a miracle for me," Chauhan reflected, her emotions still raw. After rightly feeling dejected about missing the flight, she recounted, "I was thinking, 'If I had started a little earlier, I would have boarded the plane.'" The flight took off on schedule but faced immediate trouble, crashing about thirty seconds in and devastating the local area.
Among the deceased passengers were numerous nationals, including British, Portuguese, and Canadian citizens, with entire families lost in the tragedy. Emergency responders were on the scene late into the night, working tirelessly to recover victims and debris. As the investigation unfolds, Chauhan's close call remains a stark reminder of life's unpredictability, leaving her to grapple with her relief and the sorrow felt for lost lives.
