15 hours ago
‘The lone survivor asked me if I rescued his brother wearing white T-shirt'
Ahmedabad: "Did you rescue any person in white T-shirt?" asks Viswashkumar, the sole survivor of the Air India AI171 crash, when he learned that Bhavansinh Shekhavat was admitted to the hospital as he received injuries while saving the victims.
Shekhavat and Viswashkumar received initial treatment in Civil Hospital's C-7 ward. Shekhavat recounts, "After I regained consciousness, people came to know that I was one of those who rescued victims. Viswashkumar, who was a couple of beds away from me, asked me, 'Did you save any victim from the plane in a white T-shirt?' I told him that I did not, but someone else might have. I later realised that Viswashkumar's brother was also on the same flight and was probably wearing white T-shirt," he said.
Shekhavat, who is a cloth merchant, was discharged after two days of treatment and recalls the accident. "I was at my residence, which is in the vicinity of the crash site. I heard major blasts, and I thought it might be some explosion. I left my home with the intention to see what the incident was. I took a lift, and when I reached the crash site, the fire was intense. At least five to seven people were active in rescuing and saving people.
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"I thought if they can risk their lives and save people, why not me? This motivated me to join the brigade, and immediately, I rushed towards the mess from where there were calls for rescue," he said.
"As I went upstairs, the fire brigade and other volunteers were using a jet spray to douse the kitchen fire. The operation to douse the fire was from the ground, and realising that the jet force could collapse the damaged wall, we asked them to give us the hose pipe.
However, when we failed to catch it, they used the ladder to give us the pipe, and then a couple of fire officials also joined in," said Shekhavat.
Shekhavat said that he and a few others entered the kitchen and saw cylinders. "If there was a cylinder blast, it would further lead to an explosion damaging the building, and hence, I lifted one cylinder and threw it at a safe distance, and another volunteer threw the second cylinder."
"While we were rescuing people, I noticed the leg of a woman who was buried under the debris. She was immediately removed from the debris. We saved at least five to six doctors. But suddenly, some chemical fell on me, creating a burning sensation in my eyes," said Shekhavat.
He washed his eyes and joined again, but by then the smoke had intensified, and he began feeling uneasiness. "I then sat under the staircase, and when I came to consciousness, I was in the C-7 ward of Civil Hospital with several doctors who were trapped in the mess and the sole survivor of the AI171 crash," recounts Shekhavat.
