Woman reveals how 10-minute traffic jam saved her from Air India death flight as she breaks down in tears

132

Bhoomi Chauhan was racing to catch doomed Flight AI171 to London when gridlock made her miss boarding by minutes – now hails ‘divine intervention’ as 241 die in fireball

A woman has told of her miraculous escape from the Air India disaster after a traffic jam made her miss the doomed flight by just 10 minutes – saving her from certain death as 241 people perished in the horrific crash.

Bhoomi Chauhan broke down in tears as she revealed how she was “literally shivering” after learning that the London-bound Flight AI171 she was desperately trying to catch had crashed in a massive fireball just minutes after takeoff.

The passenger, who was returning to London after a holiday in India, said she felt “divine intervention” had saved her life when gridlocked traffic on the way to Ahmedabad airport made her arrive at the gate just moments too late to board.

Speaking to Republic TV with a choked voice and fighting back tears, Ms Chauhan said: “I am completely devastated after hearing about the loss of lives. My body is literally shivering. I am not able to talk.”

My mind is totally blank now after hearing all that has happened,” she continued, her voice breaking with emotion as she grappled with how close she came to being among the 242 people on board the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

‘My Ganpati Bappa saved me’

In an emotional interview that has captivated millions, Ms Chauhan revealed her belief that divine forces had intervened to save her life through the seemingly mundane circumstances of a traffic jam.

“I am thankful to God. My Ganpati Bappa saved me,” she said, referring to the Hindu deity Lord Ganesha, known as the remover of obstacles.

The devastated woman explained that she had been stuck in “huge traffic” on the way to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, causing her to miss the boarding deadline by just 10 minutes.

Just because of those ten minutes, I could not board the flight. I don’t know how to explain this,” she said, still struggling to comprehend her narrow escape from disaster.

Racing against time

Ms Chauhan had been scheduled to return to London, where she lives with her husband, after visiting India for a holiday – her first trip back to her homeland in two years.

She was traveling alone for the return journey, planning to reunite with her husband in the UK capital where they have built their life together.

But as she sat in gridlocked traffic watching the minutes tick by, she had no idea that the delay that seemed like a frustrating inconvenience would actually save her life.

After missing the flight, a dejected Ms Chauhan had to return home, initially devastated at having to rebook her journey and explain the delay to her husband waiting in London.

The moment she learned the truth

It was only later that the full horror of what she had escaped became clear when news broke that Flight AI171 had crashed just minutes after its 1:38pm takeoff.

Shocking video footage showed the aircraft struggling to gain altitude before plummeting nose-up into a residential area, creating a massive fireball that claimed 241 lives – all but one miraculous survivor.

“When I heard what happened, I couldn’t believe it. I was supposed to be on that plane,” Ms Chauhan said, her voice barely above a whisper.

The realization that a simple traffic jam had saved her from being among the victims – including 53 British nationals returning home – left her overwhelmed with a mixture of relief, guilt, and profound gratitude.

A twist of fate

Aviation experts have described how the Boeing 787 Dreamliner appeared to suffer a catastrophic power failure at “the most critical phase of flight” just after takeoff.

The aircraft reached only 625 feet before beginning its fatal descent, issuing a desperate “Mayday” call before crashing into buildings housing medical students and offices in the Meghani Nagar area.

While 40-year-old British survivor Vishwash Kumar Ramesh miraculously walked away from the wreckage – the sole survivor among 242 people on board – Ms Chauhan’s escape came from never boarding at all.

Counting her blessings

As rescue teams recovered 290 bodies from the crash site – including victims from both the plane and the ground – Ms Chauhan struggled to process her emotions.

“I feel lucky for the divine intervention because of which I could avert the tragedy,” she said, adding that she was finding it difficult to cope with the knowledge of how close she came to death.

The passengers who did board included:

• 169 Indian nationals
• 53 British citizens
• 7 Portuguese nationals
• 1 Canadian
• 11 children, including two newborns

All perished except for Mr Ramesh, who described waking up surrounded by bodies before managing to escape the burning wreckage.

Living with survivor’s guilt

Ms Chauhan’s story has resonated with millions who see in her experience a reminder of life’s fragility and the mysterious ways fate can intervene.

“Those ten minutes saved my life. If the traffic had been clear, if I had left home earlier, if anything had been different, I would have been on that plane,” she reflected.

As she prepares to eventually make the journey back to London to reunite with her husband – on a different flight – Ms Chauhan said she would never forget this day and the 241 souls who weren’t given the second chance she received.

I will pray for all those families who lost their loved ones. I don’t know why I was saved, but I will be grateful every day for this gift of life,” she said through tears.

Her story stands as a powerful reminder that sometimes the frustrations we face – a traffic jam, a delay, a missed connection – might actually be blessings in disguise, though we may never know it at the time.

For Bhoomi Chauhan, those agonizing 10 minutes stuck in traffic transformed from a travel nightmare into a miracle that saved her life, leaving her forever changed by her brush with destiny on what should have been just another flight home.