Ahmedabad: Bhoomi Chauhan, a resident of Bharuch, Gujarat, narrowly escaped death on Thursday after missing Air India Flight 171 — the ill-fated Boeing 787-8 that crashed shortly after takeoff, killing all 241 people on board, including 12 crew members.

Recounting the experience, Chauhan said, “We reached the check-in gate 10 minutes late due to heavy traffic in Ahmedabad. They didn’t let us board, saying it would further delay the flight. I returned home disappointed. When I later heard that the flight had crashed, I was in complete shock. I thank the Mother Goddess for saving my life — it’s terrifying to think how close I came.”

Yesterday, Bhoomi told a private news channel that she was in India for vacation and was returning to London. She was travelling alone when she missed the flight due to a 10-minute delay. “I am completely devastated after hearing about this tragic loss. My body is still shivering, and I am unable to speak much. I thank God — my Ganpati Bappa — for saving me. I missed the flight because of Ahmedabad’s traffic.”

Her mother echoed the sentiment, saying it was divine intervention that saved her daughter. “She left her child with me that day. It’s only by the blessings of the Mother Goddess that she is still alive and with us.”

The tragic incident unfolded on Thursday afternoon when the London-bound Flight AI-171 took off from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. The aircraft issued a “Mayday” distress call shortly after departure and lost contact with air traffic control before crashing near the airport perimeter.

According to official data, the aircraft carried 169 Indian nationals, 53 British citizens, seven Portuguese nationals, and one Canadian passenger. The flight was captained by Sumeet Sabharwal, a seasoned Line Training Captain with over 8,200 flight hours, along with First Officer Clive Kundar, who had logged 1,100 hours.

In the wake of the disaster, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has initiated a formal probe. DeshGujarat