Air India Crash: ‘Ahmedabad Traffic Saved My Life’ – British Student

Last updated: Jun 13, 2025. 2:53 pm

4 Min Read

Traffic saved British student Bhoomi Chauhan from boarding the crashed Air India flight.
The crash killed 241 people and injured nearly 50 near BJ Medical College.
PM Modi visited the site and met with the sole survivor and injured victims.

A British Student, Bhoomi Chauhan, has recounted how Ahmedabad traffic saved her from boarding the ill-fated AI171 flight.

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EKO HOT BLOG earlier reported that ill-fated Air India flight that crashed near the Ahmedabad airport on Thursday afternoon, claiming the lives of 241 people on board.

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The plane fell on top of the dining area of BJ Medical College, killing at least five medical students and injuring nearly 50.

Chauhan, a resident of Gujarat’s Bharuch was stuck in traffic and narrowly escaped death by just 10 minutes.

Chauhan, while speaking to ANI on Friday, recounted her experience, “We arrived at the check-in gate 10 minutes late, but they didn’t allow me, and I returned. They said that it would delay the flight further. I was late because of traffic in the Ahmedabad city area. When I came to know that the flight had crashed, I was totally numb. I thank my mother Goddess that I am safe, but the incident is absolutely terrifying.”

While speaking to BBC’s Gujarati service, she said, “Earlier I thought that Ahmedabad’s traffic would cost me my ticket money and my job.

“Even though I lost my money, I am happy that my life was saved.”

Her father explained that traffic congestion had caused them to arrive late at the airport, and despite their requests, they were not allowed to board the flight. “…We arrived at the airport late because of traffic. We requested, but they didn’t allow us. When we came out of the airport, we received the news that the plane had crashed.”

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the Air India plane crash site in Ahmedabad and reviewed the ground situation.

He was accompanied by Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu, State Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi.

PM Modi then proceeded to the Ahmedabad Civil Hospital to visit the only survivor of the crash, Vishwashkumar Ramesh and those injured in the mishap.

The aircraft was piloted by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, a Line Training Captain with 8,200 hours of flying experience, assisted by First Officer Clive Kundar, who had logged 1,100 flying hours.

According to Air Traffic Control (ATC), the aircraft which departed from Ahmedabad at 1339 IST (0809 UTC) from runway 23, made a Mayday call to ATC, but thereafter, the aircraft did not respond to the calls. Immediately after departing Runway 23, the aircraft crashed outside the airport perimeter.