Survivors of Plane Crashes Share Their Chilling Experiences: Accounts from the 1993 Aurangabad, 2010 Mangalore, and 2020 Kozhikode Accidents.
Plane Crash: Air travel is generally considered safe, but when a plane crashes, the wreckage is not the only lasting consequence; deeply ingrained memories and pain also remain. Some rare individuals miraculously survive these accidents. Their experiences not only highlight the terrifying nature of these events but also demonstrate the role of human resilience and luck.
1993 Aurangabad Plane Crash
In 1993, Indian Airlines flight 491, traveling from Aurangabad to Mumbai, crashed on the runway. The flight carried 112 passengers, 55 of whom perished. Vasant Shinde, a former municipal council president from Jintur, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, who survived this horrific accident, still trembles at the memory of that day.
Vasant Shinde recounted that he had booked his ticket at the last minute and was traveling with Congress MLA Ramprasad Bordikar. His seat was near the cockpit. As the plane raced for takeoff, the speed didn't feel normal.
Collision with a Truck and Power Line
According to Shinde, during the attempted takeoff, the plane's tail section collided with a truck and then struck an 11 kV power line. Fortunately, the power supply was off at the time, preventing a major explosion. After the accident, the aircraft broke into three pieces in an open field.
"There was complete darkness inside the plane. When a door opened, it felt like a ray of hope," Vasant Shinde explains. He immediately jumped out without hesitation and survived with minor injuries.
2020 Kozhikode Crash: Plane Skids off Runway in Heavy Rain
On August 7, 2020, an Air India Express flight from Dubai skidded off the runway upon landing at Kozhikode airport and plunged into a 35-foot-deep gorge. The plane carried 190 people, 21 of whom died.
Ashik, a resident of Kerala, narrowly escaped this accident. He described how the plane hovered in the air for a while during landing, then attempted to land again. Suddenly, there was a violent jolt, and the plane broke apart. "Children were falling from their mothers' laps. In a few seconds, the atmosphere became extremely terrifying. Fortunately, the plane didn't catch fire; otherwise, the situation could have been much worse," Ashik stated.
Mangalore Crash: Plane Overshot the Runway
On May 22, 2010, Air India Express flight IX 812 was involved in a major accident at Mangalore airport. 158 people lost their lives. Fifteen years later, K. Pradeep, a survivor of the crash, still trembles at the memory.
Pradeep recounts that the plane overshot the runway and crashed. Another passenger, Usman Farooq, said he was seated near the wing, and that section broke away, allowing him to escape and save his life.
