
Air India crash heroes: the trainee doctors who cheated death to save lives
Navin Chaudhary had just begun eating his meal when a loud bang startled him. He turned back to see a massive fire taking over the dining area where he and other trainee doctors had assembled for lunch.
The blaze approaching him, he rushed towards a window and jumped.
From the ground, looking upwards, the sight of the Air India plane's tail cone hanging from the burning building propelled Chaudhary and fellow medical students into action.
'There was fire and many were injured,' Chaudhary said.
He said he felt lucky to survive but knew he had a task at hand. He rushed to the hospital's intensive care unit, where the injured, most of whom had burns, were wheeled in on stretchers.
Navin Chaudhary, a doctor who witnessed last week's Air India plane crash, speaks to reporters in Ahmedabad, India, on Monday. Photo: AP
'I felt that as a doctor I could save someone's life,' he said. 'I was safe. So I thought, whatever I can do, I should.'
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


South China Morning Post
7 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Taiwan car show model dies after ‘milk injection' for insomnia by ‘Godfather of Liposuction'
A Taiwanese car show model has tragically died after receiving a so-called 'milk injection' – the anaesthetic propofol – from the renowned 'Godfather of Liposuction' in an attempt to treat chronic insomnia, triggering widespread outrage and sorrow across social media. Cai Yuxin, in her 30s, boasted over 32,000 followers on Facebook. A beloved figure at car shows, she was affectionately compared to Lin Chi-ling, a famous Taiwanese actress, thanks to her striking looks and impressive height of 5 feet 7 inches (170cm). Having long battled insomnia, Cai sought sleep therapy on May 25 at the recommendation of a friend and underwent a procedure known as the 'milk injection' at Fairy Clinic in Taipei. The term 'milk injection' refers to propofol treatment – a potent, short-acting intravenous anesthetic commonly employed for sedation and anaesthesia in clinical settings, named for its distinctive milky appearance. Cai was a beloved figure at car shows, thanks to her striking looks and impressive height of 5 feet 7 inches (170cm). Photo: Facebook/@Cai Yuxin The injection was administered by Wu Shaohu, the clinic director and a prominent cosmetic doctor, often referred to as Taiwan's 'Godfather of Liposuction.'


South China Morning Post
a day ago
- South China Morning Post
In South Korea, blood cancer cases at Seoul Metro spark workplace safety concerns
South Korea 's workplace safety is under scrutiny after five Seoul Metro maintenance workers were revealed to have been diagnosed with blood cancer, raising fresh concerns about long-term exposure to carcinogenic substances. Advertisement Officials on Wednesday said two of the five workers had died from 'acute leukaemia', the Korea Times reported, citing a study by the Korea National Open University. The affected workers were responsible for maintaining trains on Lines 1 through 8 of the Seoul Metro. All five had spent years performing core maintenance tasks, including dismantling, cleaning, repairing, welding, grinding and repainting subway trains. According to the Korea Times, one was diagnosed in 2009 at age 39 and retired three years later. Another was diagnosed in the same year and retired in 2011 at age 51. The remaining three are still employed. Advertisement The latest cases follow last year's discovery of eight other workers diagnosed with the same conditions – including three deaths – bringing the total number of affected employees at Seoul Metro to 13.


South China Morning Post
2 days ago
- South China Morning Post
Nimbus: the Covid-19 variant that may cause ‘razor blade throat'
The Covid-19 variant that may be driving a recent rise in cases in some parts of the world has earned a new nickname: 'razor blade throat' Covid. Advertisement That is because the variant - NB.1.8.1. or 'Nimbus' - may cause painful sore throats. The symptom has been identified by doctors in the United Kingdom, India and elsewhere, according to media outlets in those countries. Other Covid-19 symptoms of any variant include fever, chills, cough, shortness of breath or loss of taste or smell. Experts have said there is not a major cause for concern with the Nimbus variant. Where the variant is spreading The rise in cases late last month is primarily in the eastern Mediterranean, Southeast Asia and western Pacific regions, the World Health Organization said on May 28. The new variant had reached nearly 11 per cent of sequenced samples reported globally in mid-May.