AI-171, ONE YEAR ON…

One year is a long time in a nation’s memory, yet it is a blink of an eye in an airline’s life, especially one that is recovering from such a horrific tragedy such as the crash of AI-171. One year ago, we saw that Boeing 787 Dreamliner burst into flames as it took off from Ahmedabad (AMD) to London Gatwick, (LGW) and we all watched in horror as we saw it plough through the BJ medical college hostel.

It was the Indian Gen Z’s JFK / 911 moment! Every boomer knows where they were when JFK died, just as we all remember where we were when 911 took place. 

AI-171 was India’s first social media tragedy, people were shocked at the tragedy, yet at the same time, we were reviled by the voyeurism on display across all media channels and social media. It brought back the horrors of the Air India Kanishka tragedy and moved me so badly, that after a few days, I could no longer deal with the AI-171 controversies or tv shows, it was spine chilling as it appeared to trivialize the deaths of so many. 

260 people lost their lives in that fireball, 241 passenger and crew, and 19 on the ground, only one miraculously survived. A nation mourned, as the blame game & power politics took over the investigations. Images of a shaken up Prime Minister beamed across our televisions, yet we did not see or hear any transparency from anyone in power until this day.

What we got was a questionable preliminary report, a clean chit for a beleaguered airplane maker within 30 days, partial leaked CVR statement, without sharing the whole truth, and some careless whispers just loud enough to smear honorable pilots who were no longer alive to defend themselves. 

A pilots bereaved father who moved the Supreme Court to clear his sons name of scurrilous allegations, a recent eyewitness account by Romin Vohra, who also lost his family, said he saw Captain Sumeet Sabbarwal’s body in the morgue in uniform, with hands allegedly on the “yoke” in “pugilistic fashion” indicating that even in his dying moments, he was trying to save the plane.  There has been no denial or confirmation from authorities on these new facts, as yet. But that would be the Captain Sumeet I knew, and had flown with many years earlier, though what really happened on June 12, we may never truly know?

A week after the tragedy I wrote that it appeared to be a colossal technical malfunction that caused loss of power to the engines and the RAT to deploy. A year later, after multiple other theories have done the rounds, experts are once again speaking in hushed tones of a remote possibility of technical issues. 

The western media had a field day with various theories, including Pilot suicide, without advancing an ounce of proof, only conjecture. We are not scared to swallow a bitter pill, but at least, lets ensure that adequate material is placed on record to support those allegations.

Discretion being the better part of valor, I shall leave the technical aspects to the investigators to hypothesize, but suffice to say, that plenty of blood has been spilt so far, to ensure that the victims of AI-171 get justice and a report that is based on principles of truth, transparency and integrity. 

As Air India struggles to come to terms with its loss, and get back on track, we pause to remember the people of 171 like Payal Khatik the daughter of a rickshaw puller on her first flight, to study in the UK ; Dr Prateek Joshi, and Dr Komi Vyas a couple united after years, and their children Miraya, Pradyut, and Nakul;  Arjunbhai Patolya, who came to Amreli Gujarat, to immerse his dead wife’s ashes,  Mariam Ali Syed of Harrods, her husband Javed and kids Zayn, and Amani who came to see their ailing mother. Former Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani, who was reuniting with his wife and daughter; British wellness guru Jamie Meek and his husband Fiongal Greenlaw an LGBTQ advocate, who posted a video just before leaving; Chandu Baguane, who had performed his mother’s last rites and returning to London; Lawrence Christian who was rushing back hearing of his fathers death; Kinal Patel a hotel management student who survived a horrific car accident only to die on the AI-171 and so many more passengers who cannot fit into this column.

Do also share a prayer for Shraddha Dhavan & Aparna Mahadik, both experienced VVIP crew who left behind their daughters, Saineeta Chakravarthy of Juhu, who never married, to care for her aged parents, Roshni Songhare an Instagram travel influencer, Lamunthem Singson a 24-year-old new crew from Manipur, Manisha Thapa, K.N.Sharma, Maithili Patil, Irfan Shaikh, Deepak Pathak and others like Captain Clive Kunder a young pilot from an aviation family, starting his career, and of course Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, who began with a dream at IGRUA and ended in flames at AMD that day. The sole survivor Vishwashkumar Ramesh from seat 11 A who defied all logic but lives in trauma to this day.

India the world’s fastest growing aviation market, sadly is beset with a broken system, a decrepit regulator teetering in questionable practices and scandal, an accident board that is cluelessly lost in political niceties and a ministry that is struggling to keep pace. We need to do better as a Nation.

Let this anniversary not be about controversy, corruption or incompetence, but let it be about the people of Air India 171, who have been forgotten in the maelstrom of debates. This day needs remembrance of the innocent brave men, women and children who perished one year ago. We owe it to the dead and their families, to give them the truth, in a transparent fashion, however bitter it might be, our nations credibility depends on it.

Disclaimer: The opinions and views expressed in this article/column are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of South Asian Herald.

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