Lone survivors: Air India 171 among 2 dozen disasters where one person beat the odds
A passenger survives the crash of an Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner, joining a small number of sole survivors in major air crashes over the past 80 years. Notable survivors include a 4-year-old girl, a 12-year-old girl, and a 17-year-old boy, with lone survivors also reported in military plane crashes dating back to 195.
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News18
38 minutes ago
- News18
Intact Bhagavad Gita Emerges From Burnt Debris At Air India Crash Site In Ahmedabad
Last Updated: Despite a massive fire that engulfed the aircraft and surrounding buildings, the religious text was found largely untouched in the debris. In the charred remains of Air India Flight AI171, which crashed in Ahmedabad on Thursday, killing 265 people, an almost unscathed copy of the Bhagavad Gita was discovered at the site. The sacred text survived the inferno with minimal damage despite the intense blaze. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner had taken off from Ahmedabad en route to London Gatwick when it went down minutes later, crashing into the hostel complex of a nearby medical college. The aircraft, carrying 242 people, left only one passenger alive. Despite a massive fire that engulfed the aircraft and surrounding buildings, the religious text was found largely untouched in the debris. Saagar Amin, a hairstylist who volunteered at the Air India Flight 171 crash site, recalled the harrowing scenes and a moment of profound significance. In the smouldering wreckage, he found an undamaged copy of the Bhagavad Gita. Reflecting on the two survivors rescued from the blaze, he said, 'It proves the saying— 'Jako rakhe Saiyan, maar sake na koi'." 'I reached the site around 1:30 to 2:00 pm and saw fire and debris everywhere," he recounted. 'The flames were twice my height. Soon, rescue teams arrived and we moved to Civil Hospital to help." Describing the devastation, he said, 'It was like a balloon of fire, and government agencies were trying to pull out people from it." The intense heat had melted large sections of the fuselage and cabin interiors, reducing most personal belongings to ash. Yet, the Gita, discovered by the volunteer among the rubble, remained remarkably preserved. The discovery of the religious text has become a point of reflection for many on the ground, as teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), local fire departments, and government agencies work through the scorched site. Investigation teams have also begun analysing the black boxes recovered from the wreckage to determine the cause of the crash. The Dreamliner was carrying 169 Indian nationals, 53 Britons, 7 Portuguese citizens, and 1 Canadian passenger. This marks one of the deadliest aviation disasters in India in recent history. First Published: June 14, 2025, 08:04 IST
New Indian Express
an hour ago
- New Indian Express
Shattered and lonely, 88-yr-old dad recounts captain's calling
MUMBAI: Pushkraj Sabharwal doesn't tire of telling visitors to his Powai house in Mumbai to condole his son's death and how good a pilot Captain Sumit Sabharwal was. The 88-year-old father says he is proud of his son, who commandeered the ill-fated Dreamliner. He was skilled and experienced and never caused an accident, he intones. The captain was reaching his retirement age. The Sabharwals live in Jal Vayu Vihar in Mumbai's posh suburb of Powai. He joined Air India in 1994 and rose to be the most senior pilot, with over 8,000 flying hours to his credit. Local Shiv Sena MLA Dilip Lande was among the first to visit the Sabharwal home to offer his condolences. The father was in shock after hearing the news and couldn't utter a word for a long time, he recalls. Lande and the neighbours tried to give him solace but in vain. 'He continued to mourn and weep. We tried to console him,' he recalled. Sumit's mother died over two years ago. Their only son, Sumit, has been caring for his father ever since. The daughter lives in Delhi with her family. Lande said, 'God had something different in his mind. He has neither the spouse nor the son left with him in his old age.' Incidentally, the daughter's two sons are also pilots.
News18
an hour ago
- News18
Govt Announces Formation Of High-Level Committee To Probe Air India Plane Crash
Last Updated: The Ministry of Civil Aviation formed a committee to investigate the Air India Flight AI-171 crash on June 12, which caused 274 deaths, and recommend improved SOPs. The Ministry of Civil Aviation announced the formation of a high-level committee to investigate the causes of the fatal crash of Air India Flight AI-171, which occurred on June 12 en route from Ahmedabad to London's Gatwick Airport, resulting in at least 274 fatalities, including 241 onboard and those on the ground. According to the ministry, the panel will assess the circumstances leading to the crash and evaluate existing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and safety guidelines currently in place. In a post on X, the ministry said that the committee's primary objective is to recommend a robust framework for preventing and effectively managing similar aviation incidents in the future. The ministry also clarified that this Committee will not be a substitute for other enquiries being conducted by relevant organisations, but will focus on formulating SOPs for preventing and handling such occurrences in the future. First Published:
