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All on board but one died in the Air India 171 crash on Thursday afternoon. There were a few whom the fate spared and did not let them board the flight by hook or by crook.
Air India crash: Fate spared some lucky ones on June 12 as they couldn’t board the flight (Reuters Image)
At times, nature interacts with you in the strangest of ways and communicates messages or warnings through signals. In the case of some who wanted to board but missed the Air India flight that later crashed in Ahmedabad, a mother’s emotional appeal, a father’s gut feeling, were among such indications.
Several such stories have come to the fore since the June 12 Air India-171 crash that killed 241 on board, which tell how destiny has it all. A lone passenger walked out alive miraculously on that day and shared horrific stories of the crash.
Mother’s Emotional Appeal
Vadodara man, Yaman Vyas, who holds a work permit in the UK, was all set to return to London on that fateful day. He had visited his family after two years and had all his paperwork and backpack ready for yet another year away from home. However, as he sought blessings from his parents before departing, his mother turned emotional, thinking of another year of separation.
“Thhoda divas rokai jaa ne, beta (Just stay back for a few more days, son),” Times of India quoted her as saying.
His father seconded her thoughts. Respecting his parents’ emotions, he cancelled his flight ticket immediately. “Later that afternoon, when messages about the crash started flooding my mobile, I realised how my mother’s instinct had saved my life,” he said.
Father’s Gut Feeling Saves His Life
Savji Timbadia, a Nikol resident, was about to travel to London, where his son works; however, early on Thursday morning, he unexpectedly told his son that he did not feel like flying that day.
“I told my son I did not feel like flying and would postpone my departure until Monday. When he asked about the sudden change of plan, I could only describe a feeling of mental unease. It was not something I could explain,” he said, TOI reported.
When he received a message from a friend to watch the news on the TV later that day, he said, “I got the answer to what made me feel uneasy,” he said. “Lord Swaminarayan saved my life.”
Two Friends And A Happy Reunion
Two friends – Jaimin Patel, 29, and Priya Patel, 25 – who were at the Ahmedabad Airport to travel to London for a reunion with their friend – Rohit Yadav – for holidays – were not allowed to board the flight due to issues in their documentation.
They were to travel on visitor visas. The Air India staff informed them that there were some queries regarding their documentation, which needed resolution before boarding passes could be provided. Both of them urged the staff that it was impossible to resolve the issue at such short notice and pleaded to let them board the flight. However, the staff cited the protocol and did not allow them to take the flight.
They returned home disappointed. “About an hour later, one of my friends called and just said, ‘Switch on the TV right now!’ When I saw the news, I was shocked,” TOI quoted Jaimin as saying.
“The flight had crashed. I have never been so grateful to God. I thank the Air India staff for putting their foot down and not letting us board the plane.”
Traffic Frustration Later Turns To Blessing
Another passenger who narrowly avoided the crash was Bhoomi Chauhan. She had been frustrated by Ahmedabad’s heavy traffic on her way to the airport. A native of Bharuch, she was flying back to her husband in London after a vacation. Due to traffic delays and detours, she reached the airport at 12:20 PM—just 10 minutes after the boarding gates had closed.
“I begged the staff to let me board, but they didn’t allow it,” she said. Upset and disappointed, she was on her way back to Bharuch when she heard about the crash. “I was shocked and felt deeply grateful to the divine for saving me,” she said. “I had left my son in India. This was nothing short of a miracle by Ganpati Bappa.”
Two Back-To-Back Losses Within 20 Days
Similarly, Ravji Patel chose not to fly that day with his son-in-law, Arjun Patoliya, because he had some work to finish. Arjun was returning to London to be with his two young daughters after completing the last rites for his wife, Bharti, who had passed away from cancer in May.
“He urged me to come along and meet my granddaughters, aged 8 and 4,” Ravji said. “But I told him I’d join them in about two weeks, since I had some things to take care of. He agreed and said he’d book my tickets.”
Still in shock, Ravji is now mourning the loss of two loved ones within just 20 days, the report said.
Ashesh Mallick is a Sub-Editor with over three years of experience in news writing, video production. He primarily covers national news, politics and global affairs. You can follow him on Twitter: @MallickAshes…Read More
Ashesh Mallick is a Sub-Editor with over three years of experience in news writing, video production. He primarily covers national news, politics and global affairs. You can follow him on Twitter: @MallickAshes… Read More
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