Over 260 individuals lost, an unexpected survival among the tragedy
Plunge of Air India Flight 171: Tragedy in Ahmedabad
The skies shuddered on a dismal Thursday as Air India Flight 171, a Boeing 787-8 en route to London, spiraled into a catastrophic crash in the densely populated heart of Ahmedabad, India. The calamity left trails of heartbreak, with at least 265 lives extinguished, including one Canadian. Among the 242 passengers aboard, only one Brit, Viswash Kumar Ramesh, miraculously survived.
The Unraveling Chaos
Shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad airport, the pilot of Flight 171 issued an alarming distress call. Graphic videos circulating on social media depict the aircraft precipitously losing altitude after takeoff before colliding with multiple buildings, culminating in a violent explosion. The crash site in the city claimed 24 lives on the ground, including medical students and doctors' families, as well as patrons of a nearby canteen.
Emotionally scarred, Viswash Kumar Ramesh, the British survivor, shared his tale with Hindustan Times. "I awakened to find bodies surrounding me. I was horrified. I stumbled and ran. There were remnants of the plane all around me. Someone scooped me up, placed me in an ambulance, and transferred me to a hospital," he recalled.
The 40-year-old Ramesh, who endured injuries to his chest, eyes, and feet, was discovered near the wreckage, still semi-conscious.
From his hospital bed, Ramesh offered a haunting account of the final moments on board before the crash. "Thirty seconds after takeoff, there was a deafening noise, and then the plane plummeted. It all transpired so swiftly."
What Transpired?
Ahmedabad, a bustling city of eight million, has witnessed rapid urban development, with Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, wedged in the city center, neighboring residential areas. This arrangement gives rise to questions surrounding the proximity of cities to airports, raising concerns over the safety implications.
"This tragedy is heaped upon another," observes Mehran Ebrahimi, director of the Civil Aviation Observatory at the University of Quebec in Montreal.
Pondering the chain of events, numerous theories abound, with the most plausible being a bird strike, considering the city's rapid urban growth. This hypothesis posits that increased waste production, which attracts avian life, especially close to airports, could have played a role in the crash.
Ebrahimi dismisses deliberate action as an unlikely scenario, reasoning that the pilot sent aMayday call to the control tower. Nevertheless, cautious aviation pilot Jean Lapointe encourages restraint in speculating inconclusive causes. "The analysis always hinges on three axes: human factor, machine, and the environment," he opines.
On the matter of bird strikes, Lapointe acknowledges the possibility, but voices a preference for the theory of a mechanical problem during takeoff. He posits that the aircraft's weight, carrying a full load, combined with the sweltering 36°C heat could have compromised the pilots' ability to counteract mid-flight crises.
"I anticipate that within a month, we'll have a more precise understanding of the exact cause, as the Civil Aviation Organization requires a preliminary report within the first 30 days," Lapointe predicts.
The Canadian Victim
Aside from 169 Indians, 53 Britons, and 7 Portuguese, Air India confirmed the presence of one Canadian on the passenger list. The family of Nirali Sureshkumar Patel, a 30-year-old dentist from Mississauga, Ontario, has acknowledged her boarding of the aircraft that met with disaster on that fateful Thursday. Her devastated husband declined to comment further, expressing his intention to travel to India with their one-year-old child in the ensuing days.
***The Canadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has reached out to local authorities and the bereaved family, offering aid. Their spokesperson extended heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of the deceased, saying, "Our thoughts are with them." ***
Prime Minister Mark Carney of Canada offered his condolences to all those onboard the ill-fated flight via social media. "Canadian transport authorities are in close contact with their counterparts," he added.
Is the Boeing Dreamliner a Reliable Aircraft?
Mehran Ebrahimi, an expert in aviation, applauds the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner as a modern marvel in commercial aviation, innovative and high-performing. Over a billion flights have been completed with over 450,000 daily users since its introduction in 2011, making this the first fatal crash involving the aircraft of its kind.
Despite initial difficulties that caused some delays in its introduction, such as battery problems, the Dreamliner has generally enjoyed a favorable reputation in the industry. Ebrahimi shares a similar sentiment regarding Air India, considering it on par with other airlines.
Jean Lapointe, a retired civil aviation pilot with extensive experience, advises caution when speculating about the potential causes of the crash. He supports the hypothesis of a bird strike but believes the scenario of a mechanical problem during takeoff is more likely. Lapointe surmises that factors like the aircraft's weight, intense heat, and speed during takeoff would have presented significant challenges if the pilots faced a critical situation.
Investigators still work to determine the root cause of the disaster, scrutinizing the black boxes obtained from the wreckage. Boeing has pledged full collaboration in the investigation.
The tragedy in Ahmedabad, India, claimed the lives of 265 individuals, including one Canadian, Viswash Kumar Ramesh, who miraculously survived with injuries. Ramesh's account of his survival describes a deafening noise followed by a plunge 30 seconds after takeoff.
Ahmedabad's urban development, with the airport located in the city center, raises concerns about the proximity of cities to airports and their safety implications. Mehran Ebrahimi, an aviation expert, deemed the disaster a tragic addition to the city's recent history.
Diverse theories have emerged regarding the cause of the crash, with bird strikes being the most plausible. The rapid urban growth in Ahmedabad may have attracted birds and contributed to the incident.
However, Jean Lapointe, a seasoned aviation pilot, suggests a mechanical problem during takeoff as a more likely scenario. He posits that the extreme heat, the aircraft's weight, and speed during takeoff would have made it challenging for the pilots to manage a mid-flight crisis.
Further investigation is underway to determine the exact cause of the accident, with expectations of a preliminary report within the first 30 days. Meanwhile, the Canadian family of Nirali Sureshkumar Patel, a 30-year-old dentist from Mississauga, Ontario, has been affected by the tragedy. The Canadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has offered aid, and Prime Minister Mark Carney has expressed condolences.
The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, despite initial difficulties, has been generally well-regarded in the aviation industry. Experts like Mehran Ebrahimi applaud its modern design and performance. As investigators work through the details of the crash, questions regarding air safety, urban development, and aviation regulations continue to emerge.
The crash also serves as a reminder of the complex interplay between transport, science, environmental science, policy-and-legislation, and fleeting moments of human life. These various domains, ranging from health-and-wellness to crime-and-justice, respond to the events and strive to learn from them in order to improve safety, foster sustainable growth, and preserve life.
The event is not merely a general-news story or a sports-related tragedy tied to football and European leagues. It transcends those boundaries to touch upon migration, war-and-conflicts, finance, climate-change, cardiovascular-health, respiratory-conditions, psoriasis, medical-conditions, and factors beyond our immediate control. It forces us to grapple with the interconnectedness of the world, the role of the aerospace industry in shaping our environment, and the responsibility of policy-makers to enact meaningful legislation to ensure our safety.
