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Ahmedabad Plane Crash: Just 500 metres stood between life and death, say Meghaninagar locals. Many believe the pilot’s final move saved thousands from tragedy
Residents say the pilot may have tried to land at the empty plot of land between the locality and the college building. (PTI)
Things will never be the same again for the people of the Meghaninagar and Asarwa areas located close to the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad, who witnessed one of the worst aviation disasters in the country that killed more than 270 people in a matter of seconds.
A Boeing 787 Dreamliner (AI 171), with 242 people on board, crashed into a medical college hostel complex in the Meghaninagar area moments after taking off from the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on Thursday afternoon.
Even as investigators and aviation experts try to ascertain what went on in the final moments of the plane’s descent, residents of the nearby areas say they are thankful the Air India aircraft didn’t crash into the residential areas or the death toll would have been in the thousands. Many told News18 that the difference of 500 metres saved countless more lives.
“Around 2,000 or more people live in this area. There is an empty piece of land between our house and the hostel mess. It looks like the pilots tried to avoid these houses and land at the empty plot,” Aakash Patni, who was on the rooftop of his house 250 meters from the crash site, told News18.
“My wife fell because of the force generated by the aircraft. It was so strong. I was on the roof too. We see planes take off daily, but we thought that day would be our last,” Patni said.
The empty plot of land near his home bears signs of the crash too. A rusted pole was broken from the top and a tall tree chipped from the head. Investigators also pored over the area for clues.
Mahendra Singh Jadeja, a senior citizen who runs a pan shop just meters from the crash site, has spent his entire life watching planes take off from the nearby airport without ever giving it a second thought. But June 12 was unlike any other day. “The sound the aircraft was making was different,” he recalls. “I peeped out of my shop and thought it would crash into the neem tree just 50 steps away. It barely cleared the top leaves and, before I knew it, crashed at the back of my shop. The fire and heat were so intense—I just ran out.”
Aryan Asari, a 17-year-old, also saw the terrifying crash and recorded the widely shared video of the moment of impact. “I will forever be scared of flying in an aircraft,” Aryan told the media, sharing what he saw on the afternoon of June 12. The teenager said he had started recording because the aircraft was flying unusually low. Seconds later it crashed, making him a crucial eye witness and his video a key piece of evidence.
What was once a joyful sight for children in this area—waving at planes soaring above—has now become a source of fear and anxiety following the tragic crash.
Yash Parmar, who grew up watching planes from his terrace, says the tragedy has changed everything. “We used to wave at planes. Now the engine sound gives us jitters. Our parents won’t let us go to the terrace anymore.”
Hitesh Shah of Asarwa described seeing a fireball engulf the sky. “Planes were routine. Now, every aircraft sound triggers fear. We pray it doesn’t crash.”
For many like Heeraben Prajapati, the trauma lingers. “We thought it was a bombing. The vibration of low-flying planes never bothered us earlier. Now we step out anxiously whenever one flies overhead. Some can’t even sleep properly.”
The incident has left behind not just destruction and mourning but also lasting psychological scars in neighbourhoods once comforted by the rhythmic hum of aviation.
Arunima is Editor (Home Affairs) and covers strategic, security and political affairs. From the Ukraine-Russia War to the India-China stand-off in Ladakh to India-Pak clashes, she has reported from ground zero …Read More
Arunima is Editor (Home Affairs) and covers strategic, security and political affairs. From the Ukraine-Russia War to the India-China stand-off in Ladakh to India-Pak clashes, she has reported from ground zero … Read More
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