Residents of congested housing society, scientists at premier public health institute: People who had a close shave on June 12

Residents of Meghaninagar, a densely populated area close to the Ahmedabad airport, are used to seeing airplanes from close proximity. Many of them would often joke that if only they could jump a little higher, they might touch the wheels of a plane as it flew overhead. All this changed on Thursday afternoon.
Moments after an Air India plane with 242 people onboard crashed in the locality, its parts slamming into a cluster of hostel buildings housing medical college students, a sentiment was common among most of the residents: Had the plane swerved a little to the left, or the right, the damage on the ground would have been colossal.
'I think the pilots saved us all. If it wasn't for them putting the aircraft on the ground next to the hostels, the plane could have crashed into our building,' says a scientist at the National Institute of Occupational Health (NIOH) located in the area. A number of scientists here escaped being hit by burning debris by mere seconds.
The campus of the NIOH, which comes under the aegis of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), is located right across the road from the buildings, which the AI 171 hit. Many other government buildings, like the former campus of Raksha Shakti University, a 1,200-bed hospital, and the State Reserve Police (SRP) camp, are in the vicinity.
'A little to the left and our society would have been crushed, a little to the right and it would have hit the SRP's Ghoda Camp… a bit of an early descent would have taken the plane into the campus of the Military Hospital and NIOH, while a little delay would have sent the aircraft straight into the 1,200-bed hospital in the Medicity campus beyond it,' says a shopkeeper, requesting anonymity.
The 'society' he is referring to is a closely packed complex of four-storey, run-down buildings that come under the Government Housing Board in Meghaninagar, which was built for mill workers in 1961 when the city was referred to as the 'Manchester of the East' for being a textile hub. The residents say they have not had a moment's rest since the afternoon of June 12 with people crowding the premises to catch a 'better glimpse' of the plane lodged in the hostel building in front of them.
On Friday, 22-year-old Dharmish Patni, a resident, was seen guarding the door leading to the terrace as a group of young men, soft drink bottles in hand, stood outside. 'Since yesterday, around 1,500 to 2,000 people have come, prompting us to take such measures. While everyone wants to see the plane, what nobody understands is that this 64-year-old building cannot take such a high load. We escaped the crash, now we don't want to be crushed under the building,' says Dharmish.
The tail of the plane has since been removed from the hostel building.
At the NIOH, another scientist describes the seconds after the disaster on Thursday. 'After a massive explosion, a wall of fire and smoke rushed towards us… We had been standing just 2-3 feet from the section of the wall that was breached by the flying debris of what, we learnt later, was a passenger aircraft. As we ran back, within two or three seconds, metal parts came flying into the compound.' All the scientists that The Indian Express spoke to requested anonymity.
In a mobile phone video of the first moments after the crash, capturing the raging fire and accompanying thick, black fumes, someone could be heard asking a watchman, 'Kis wajah se lagi hai aag, pata chala kuchh? (any idea what could be the reason behind this fire?)'. 'Plane gira (an airplane fell),' the guard replies.
One of the scientists The Indian Express spoke to said he initially thought it was a chartered plane. 'In today's time, you simply cannot think that a passenger plane would crash.'
Residents of the housing society, too, say that, at first, they had no idea that the fire was caused by a plane crash. 'We heard a huge blast. I didn't understand what was happening but when we saw the massive fire and smoke, we evacuated everyone from the building since we didn't know if more blasts were in the offing,' says Darshan Patni (32), a second-floor resident.
A 'massive blast' is also how another NIOH scientist describes what he heard that afternoon. 'I was standing in the corner of the compound with two of my colleagues when we heard it. We saw one of the wings of the aircraft fall near the SRP camp. There were fumes, heat, and a wave of all of this was coming right towards us. We managed to escape just in time.'
Like the students of the BJ Medical College, NIOH scientists were also having lunch at the time of the crash. 'Five of us were having our food on the third floor. We heard a big explosion that shook our entire building. We thought it was a major earthquake that had led to a transformer blowing out. I went to the window and saw the plane,' says a scientist.
Another scientist claims he saw a 'decapitated head' in front of the main gate. 'We put a cloth on top of it… Several charred bodies were littered inside the shaded garden portion of the NIOH compound. The bamboo trees there also caught fire…'
An NIOH staffer, one of the first responders, says, 'The airport's fire team was the first to arrive. Soon, city fire department vehicles, police, ambulance, everyone arrived. By 2 pm, there were so many rescuers that the site was in a state of utter chaos.'
The NIOH being a laboratory came in handy after the crash. 'Most of the bodies were so badly burnt that there was no skin left, only muscle and tissue. Many of the first responders didn't even have the time to put on safety gear. Our staff went to our labs, got gloves, and distributed them. It was the least we could do,' says a staff member.
Many residents in the Meghaninagar area say they did not catch any sleep that night. On Friday evening, as Darshan and his son Yogesh sat on a worn-out sofa on their terrace, chatting with their neighbours, an aircraft flew over the building. Everyone instinctively looked up. For these residents, living beside an airport would never be the same again.

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Indian Express

an hour ago

• Indian Express

Anxiety in the skies: Pilots, cabin crew open up about mental health struggles after Ahmedabad plane crash; say ‘every call from family asking if we're alive just adds to the burden'

In the wake of the Air India flight AI171 crash on June 12 that claimed over 270 lives, murmurs within the aviation community have grown louder. Anxiety around flying isn't just affecting passengers – it's weighing heavily on those in the cockpit and cabin too. Unconfirmed reports suggested that a pilot scheduled to operate the Delhi-Copenhagen flight on June 14 experienced a panic attack and stepped down, with another pilot stepping in to ensure the flight landed safely. The incident, though not officially verified, raises serious questions about the psychological impact of such tragedies on aviation professionals. 'I was flying the plane the same day as the crash, the next, and even the day after,' a pilot from the Air India Group told on condition of anonymity. 'It could have been me, or any of us. Yes, we feel stressed and anxious. Every call from family asking if we're alive, every time we fly, just adds to the burden. Our families are traumatised. 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Neha recalled a mid-air emergency involving a fuel leak and possible fire on landing: 'Back then, I wasn't scared. I knew what to do. But today, even with all that training, one thought lingered… what if the aircraft gives up on you? That feeling was different – quiet, heavy, real.' The AI171 crash, she said, 'took something from all of us.' Many have taken to social media to express their grief and concern. Aditi Syal, a content professional and wife of a 'proud Boeing 787 Dreamliner pilot,' wrote on LinkedIn: 'Passengers asking cabin crew 'safely land karwa dogey na' (You will make us land safely, right?), is such a heartless attempt at a joke. It almost assumes cabin crew are not humans – they have no one waiting at home, no one waiting for their text, no one for whom their landing safely matters. And yes, there's a high chance he's flown the exact aircraft involved in Thursday's incident. When the news broke, our phones lit up.. But his response was, 'This plane has Sexy Engines, and these aircraft don't just fail. What happened is rare. Let the experts investigate.' He wasn't just being hopeful; he was speaking from years of training, thousands of hours in the cockpit and deep familiarity with one of the most advanced aircraft known today,' she wrote. Pilot Teena Goswami shared a somber account of her first flight after the crash. 'With heavy heart and full of emotions … Here we fly again… A silent flight ever I saw,' she shared on her Instagram, and described what she saw: *Passengers were quiet and fearful. *Airhostesses were getting enough respect and attention on the instructions given before takeoff. *Except pre-booked, no meals were bought. *Quite all around, and passengers not talking to each other. 'I felt so much silence and fear around, including me as well. What a devastating day of the crash, RIP all who lost their lives,' she wrote. Despite repeated attempts, many pilots and crew members declined to speak, choosing silence over reliving the trauma. Veteran pilot Captain Anil Rao, who has clocked 12,000 flying hours over 32 years, said that while such tragedies shake the aviation community, pilots are trained for precisely these moments. 'In life-and-death scenarios, a pilot fights till the very end to protect lives onboard and on the ground. That mindset is drilled into us. When a tragedy strikes close to home, there's shock and grief, yes, but pilots and cabin crew don't have the luxury to stop. We have to get up and fly,' he said. He explained the psychological balancing act. 'In the cockpit, we forget home. At home, we forget the cockpit. We have to dangle between the two extremes. We accept that tragedy has happened and see to it that such things shall not happen again, and learn from our and others' mistakes. That's our lives,' shared Rao. Captain Sunil Pillai, 58, a retired Air India pilot with 44 years of experience, took us through the intricacies of flying in times of adversity and said pilots must learn to navigate mentally taxing situations. 'Every six months, you're likely to face some form of emergency. No one's completely calm, but once in the cockpit, you know lives depend on you and you have to try and work hard to tackle those counterproductive thoughts, no matter what,' said Pillai, who has faced three engine failures and a hijack attempt. Even in this grief, they are reminded of something else they carry — resilience. 'The strength of those who flew the very next day, who stepped onto the aircraft despite the fear in their hearts. Because that is what it means to be part of this profession. We trust our training. We believe in our teams. And above all, we know that flying remains one of the safest forms of travel in the world. That confidence isn't blind — it's built from years of drills, of discipline, of reacting under pressure,' said former cabin crew Noopur Parth, Manager (Retd.) The IFS Department. Pillai swears by a checklist. 'I used to always tell my co-pilot that emergencies can happen even on the last day of one's career. So, whatever happens, you have to face it, right down to the last day. Take a deep breath and get going,' said Pillai. A managing committee member from Airline Pilot's Association of India (ALPA), that represents Indian pilots and is an associate member of the International Federation of Airline Pilots' Associations (IFALPA), told 'ALPA has not taken any stand and we are only wanting people to stop speculation and we want to be a part of AAIB (Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau which is set to investigate the crash) for transparent investigation.' The member also said, 'ALPA is ready to help any pilots or the family of the now tragically deceased pilots to cope with the Post Traumatic Stress confidentially.' Captain Rao, ALPA's General Secretary, also told us that they are open to helping anybody legally and morally. 'We are open to help anybody who has a grievance and has been affected by the crash. We have a dedicated team. Our two representatives had also gone to the funeral of the first officer and the captain. We have the addresses of the cabin crew as well. We are delegating members who can visit their houses.' He also urged pilots and crew to take the tough call. 'At any time, if I am not physically or mentally well, I am not supposed to fly as per the rules. Thoughts do come, but that is part of my job to control my thoughts, my emotions. Lives are in my hands. So, we have to be responsible in what we do. So, if not well, do not fly,' he said. Tackling nerves and managing mental health are crucial not only for their well-being but for the safety and efficiency of flight operations, said Dr Chandni Tugnait, psychotherapist and the founder and director of Gateway of Healing. 'Acknowledging mental health needs and providing proper support allows these professionals to handle stress and trauma, ensuring they can perform their duties without being impaired by unresolved psychological challenges,' said Dr Tugnait. Delnna Rrajesh, psychotherapist and life coach, agreed, 'Your body and mind might be breaking silently, but duty doesn't pause in crisis,' and said, 'Your role is sacred, yes, but so is your sanity. You don't serve better by ignoring your emotions. You serve best when you're emotionally regulated, rested, and supported. In aviation, duty means staying calm in the skies. But it also means doing the inner work on the ground.' She also listed seven tools to protect the mental health of pilots and cabin crew while honouring their duties: 1. Three-minute check-in before every flight: Ask yourself…'Do I feel calm, alert, and clear-headed? What do I need to fly safely for myself and others?' This is your internal safety check. Do not skip it. 2. Mini-reset rituals mid-shift: a. Do your box-breathing: Breathe in for 4, hold for 4, exhale for 4. '3. 'Breathwork techniques (like 4-7-8 breathing) can provide a quick reset during high-stress moments, calming the mind within minutes,' Dr Tugnait said. b. Massage your pressure points (base of skull, wrists) c. Hydrate intentionally with a 10-second pause. Sip water from a glass slowly. These micro-breaks bring your nervous system out of panic and into presence. 3. Emotional debriefs are critical: After tough flights, or incidents, don't just file reports/brush it off. Talk about how you feel. Suppressed emotion becomes trauma. Process it before it becomes toxic. 4. Pre-take-off anchor cue: One small grounding ritual (touching your badge, closing your eyes for five seconds, or an affirmation like 'I am present, prepared, and protected') can flip your brain from anxious to anchored. 5. Protect off-duty time like airspace: Schedule one digital detox every three days, one full 'no crew talk' day every week and one practice that's only for you (not for duty, not for anyone else). It can be journaling, meditation, dancing – anything that keeps you peaceful and centered. 6. Seek support before feeling broken: Try solution-focused therapy or breath-based trauma work. Don't wait for breakdowns. Schedule maintenance, not rescue. See a therapist, if need be. Jayashree Narayanan writes on fitness, health, aviation safety, food, culture and everything lifestyle. She is an alumnus of AJKMCRC, Jamia Millia Islamia and Kamala Nehru College, University of Delhi ... Read More

News18

2 hours ago

• News18

Tiffin Seller's Lunch Delivery Saves 80 Doctors From Ahmedabad Plane Crash; Loses Mother, Daughter

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Business Standard

3 hours ago

• Business Standard

Air India CEO denies funeral absence claims, reaffirms Tata support

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