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India Today
5 hours ago
- Health
- India Today
‘We look up each time a plane takes off': Inside Ground Zero of Air India crash
(NOTE: This article was originally published in the India Today issue dated August 4, 2025)For Dr Nisha Prajapati, the sound of an airplane flying overhead every few minutes used to be a 'privilege'. That pure response became impossible after June 12, when Air India Flight 171 crashed into her universe: the Byramjee Jeejeebhoy Medical College (BJMC). Now, every time the sound of an aircraft taking off fills the OPD, the trauma is relived. Scared glances are momentarily exchanged. 'But the moment passes, and we break out into laughter, with lame jokes about our fears. That's our coping mechanism,' says Dr professor of psychiatry at BJMC, she's in a good place to talk about a bad thing. 'The campus is still processing grief. We talk about the tragedy all the time,' she says. In the end, the body count on the ground totalled 19; four students were among them. Classes were suspended for 11 days after the incident. On June 23, 'normal' life was restarted after a prayer meet. Three days later, optional prelims exams were held; all except one student took the exam. University exams starting August 1 will continue on schedule as they believe routine will help students recover. 'We expect PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder) to surface in unexpected ways in the coming months,' says the doctor. The mess destroyed by the crash served 1,500 students. In June-end, it was temporarily relocated, close to the crash site, in the boys' hostel. Again, a small religious ceremony preceded it—something to soothe the nerves, even if the memory of burning bodies that students, staff and faculty witnessed on that ill-fated Thursday will likely linger in their psyche. For three weeks after that, resident doctors also had to counsel the grief-torn relatives of passengers, through their harrowing wait for charred body parts from the debris to return from DNA analysis. 'Final year students are used to dead bodies. They've worked on post-mortems. But the first and second year students were badly affected,' says Dr Kavin Kotadiya, a final-year intern doctor. 'We didn't let the four whose roommates died return to their empty rooms. We shifted them. Many students went home for a fortnight, but are now gradually resuming routine,' he a week after June 12, BJMC dean Dr Minakshi Parikh's office hosted state ministers and bureaucrats. Now she gently marvels at the resilience of the college community. There have been some murmurs from parents about whether the college should be shifted, but Dr Parikh says not a single student has moved out of the hostel. THE HEALING'When classes resumed, the psychiatry faculty members collectively addressed over 200 students to educate them about trauma and grief: the cycle of denial, anger, depression and acceptance,' she says. They are observing students closely and will reach out individually if symptoms of PTSD takes a toll on the care-givers too. 'Many of us have intense flashes of the burning aircraft and body parts; the dry empty eyes of a man who lost his wife, mother and daughter. But we all come back everyday, because this is our life,' says Dr Prajapati. The source of their trauma is never out of sight, nor out of mind. Bang in the centre of their universe, there lies the crash site, dark and impenetrable, guarded round-the-clock by local police. Life is taking wing amidst that, tremulously. 'We look up every time an aircraft takes off,' says Dr to India Today Magazine- EndsTune InMust Watch
India Today
6 days ago
- Health
- India Today
The day after the skies fell
For Dr Nisha Prajapati, the sound of an airplane flying overhead every few minutes used to be a 'privilege'. That pure response became impossible after June 12, when Air India Flight 171 crashed into her universe: the Byramjee Jeejeebhoy Medical College (BJMC). Now, every time the sound of an aircraft taking off fills the OPD, the trauma is relived. Scared glances are momentarily exchanged. 'But the moment passes, and we break out into laughter, with lame jokes about our fears. That's our coping mechanism,' says Dr Prajapati.
Time of India
21-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Ahmedabad crash's lone miracle survivor Vishwash Kumar Ramesh battles guilt and chilling nightmares: ‘He sleeps, but...'
More than a month after the tragic crash of Air India Flight AI171 in Ahmedabad, the only passenger who survived—40-year-old Vishwash Kumar Ramesh—is still grappling with the emotional aftermath. Having escaped with only minor physical injuries, Ramesh has been dealing with recurring nightmares and deep psychological distress, especially over the loss of his younger brother, Ajay, who was also on the flight. The Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner , bound for London Gatwick, went down just 30 seconds after take-off from Ahmedabad airport on June 12. It crashed into a hostel building meant for doctors at Byramjee Jeejeebhoy Medical College and Civil Hospital, killing 19 people on the ground. Onboard were 242 individuals, including 169 Indian nationals and 53 British nationals. Only one person survived. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Select a Course Category MBA healthcare Others others Leadership Project Management Healthcare Data Science Management MCA Finance Product Management Artificial Intelligence Design Thinking Cybersecurity Public Policy Operations Management PGDM Degree Data Analytics Technology Digital Marketing Data Science CXO Skills you'll gain: Financial Management Team Leadership & Collaboration Financial Reporting & Analysis Advocacy Strategies for Leadership Duration: 18 Months UMass Global Master of Business Administration (MBA) Starts on May 13, 2024 Get Details Skills you'll gain: Analytical Skills Financial Literacy Leadership and Management Skills Strategic Thinking Duration: 24 Months Vellore Institute of Technology VIT Online MBA Starts on Aug 14, 2024 Get Details Ramesh, who was seated in 11A, walked out with cuts on his face and some chest injuries. His brother Ajay, seated in 11J, did not survive. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like An engineer reveals: 1 simple trick to get all TV channels Techno Mag Learn More Undo Sleepless Nights and Lingering Guilt Family members say Ramesh has been unable to sleep properly since the incident. 'He sleeps but doesn't sleep properly. When he does, he dreams he's back on the flight,' said Krunal Keshave, a relative based in Leicester, in a statement to The Times . 'He remembers seeing everyone die in front of his eyes.' Ramesh has chosen to remain in Bucharwada, a village in Diu, rather than return to the UK. He is currently staying with his wife and four-year-old son. 'He is not going out much. He's spending time at home with the family,' Keshave added. You Might Also Like: Who is Vishwaskumar Ramesh, the only Air India Plane Crash survivor? The family had been in India to visit relatives and manage a seasonal fishing business. Both brothers had run the business together for the past few years, catching pomfret, mackerel, and sardines along the Gujarat coast. Investigation Points to Cockpit Confusion The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) of India released its preliminary findings on July 11. The report cited confusion in the cockpit as a contributing factor. According to the report, the aircraft's fuel control switches were found to have been turned off, starving both engines of fuel. Audio from the cockpit reportedly recorded a disagreement between the captain and co-pilot over who had changed the switches. A final report is expected within a year, in line with international aviation protocols. Though hailed as a 'miracle survivor' by everyone, those close to Ramesh say he carries a heavy emotional burden. One relative described him as 'guilty' for having survived when 'everyone else, including his brother, died.' You Might Also Like: The miracle of seat 11A: Man who survived Ahmedabad tragedy shared same seat number as Thai survivor of 1998 airplane crash
Hindustan Times
15-06-2025
- Health
- Hindustan Times
40 years after a deadly plane crash, Gujarat hospital at ground zero again
Its 100 acre campus – which has four four-storey buildings and two-storey dining halls and hostel buildings – bore the brunt of India's worst single-aircraft crash this week. But Byramjee Jeejeebhoy Medical College in Ahmedabad was also at the heart of the rescue-and-relief operations four decades ago when 133 people died in another tragic air crash just 2.5km from the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel airport. 'It was the backbone during the 1988 Indian Airlines air crash in Ahmedabad, where there were only 2 survivors,' said Dr MF Shaikh, former head of the burns and plastic surgery department, BJ Medical College. Shaikh was referring to the October 19, 1988 tragedy of flight 113, which crashed on its final approach to Ahmedabad airport. He said since the medical college was in close proximity to the airport, many of the passengers were brought in for treatment. Established in 1871 as Ahmedabad Medical School with only 14 students, BJ Medical College is the oldest medical college in Gujarat and among the oldest in India. It has one main campus in the Meghaninagar neighbourhood, where a 2,500 bed hospital stands. Another 1,200 bed hospital came up within the same campus in 2019. The government-run Civil Hospital shares the same compound. Thursday's crash took place close to the main campus area, with the Boeing 787 Dreamliner hitting the medical college's hostel buildings and dining halls. While the four hostel buildings' facade was charred, the two mess buildings were partially collapsed. 'Every year, 256 MBBS students secure admission here, apart from over 400 post graduation seats,'said Ahmedabad-based Dr Javed Vakil, a senior consultant nephrologist at Aartham Multi Super Speciality Hospital. Dr Vakil said over 300 kidney transplants are conducted in the government-run institute annually, and patients come from distant corners of the state. 'In 1879, a generous donation of ₹20,000 by Sir Byramjee Jeejeebhoy led to the school being renamed BJ Medical School. The institution steadily expanded, securing affiliation with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Bombay in 1917 and later with Bombay University in 1946, earning its status as BJ Medical College, offering London College of Professional Studies diplomas,' said the hospital website. The postgraduate courses are offered across 24 branches and super speciality courses are offered across 11 branches. The hospital was also the backbone during the 2001 Bhuj earthquake relief, the 2002 Akshardham Temple attack, and medical emergencies such as the 2009-10 swine flu outbreak and the 2020-21 pandemic. 'This hospital has been handling such mass casualties since the beginning,' said Dr Shaikh. 'In fact, the Civil Hospital saw its worst time when the trauma centre was bombed in the 2008 Ahmedabad bombings. Yet, the hospital did not come to a standstill.'
The Independent
14-06-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Air India crash likely to trigger India's biggest aviation insurance payout
The deadly Air India crash could become the most expensive aviation insurance claim in India 's history, insurance experts say. Investigators continue to probe what caused the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner to plummet into a crowded residential complex in to crash in Ahmedabad just 33 seconds after take-off on Thursday. Of the 242 people onboard flight AI171 to London Gatwick, 241 were killed, including 53 British nationals. The flight crashed into a hostel complex at Byramjee Jeejeebhoy Medical College, killing several students and residents on the ground. Only one passenger – a British-Indian man seated in 11A – survived. The total liability could range from $211m to $280m (approximately £166m to £220m), according to estimates reported by Press Trust of India. This includes the full hull value of the aircraft, compensation for victims' families under international aviation law, and payouts for third-party property damage and loss of life on the ground. While the airlines' losses are expected to be covered under aviation 'all-risk' insurance, the payouts for passengers are governed by the Montreal Convention, to which India is a signatory. Under this framework, the minimum compensation per deceased passenger could reach up to 128,821 Special Drawing Rights – about $171,000 or £134,000 – though the actual amount may vary depending on nationality, legal claims, and additional liabilities. Air India has already announced interim compensation of ₹1 crore (around £93,000) for the families of the deceased. Given the large number of international passengers, including from the UK, Portugal and Canada, global reinsurers are expected to absorb much of the financial impact. India's state-run Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) also announced it would relax documentation requirements for victims' families filing death claims, accepting official government records or compensation proof instead of death certificates to ease the process. The full cost of the crash – in terms of lives, property and future safety measures – is still being assessed. Investigations by Indian and international authorities are ongoing, with aviation officials, engineers and anti-terror teams continuing their examination of the crash site and aircraft wreckage. Aviation reinsurance firms in the UK and Europe are expected to bear a major share of the cost, since much of Air India's insurance cover is handled through global reinsurers. The crash is already being described as the world's worst commercial aviation disaster in over a decade and the first fatal crash involving the Boeing 787. India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation has ordered fresh checks on all Boeing 787s flying in the country, while a joint investigation is underway involving Indian authorities, US experts, and a team from Britain's Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB). The airline, now owned by Tata Group, has not commented publicly on the extent of its insurance coverage.
