Ahmedabad Crash: They Were Meant To Board That Flight – How A Mother’s Tears, A Wrong Turn, And One Gut Feeling Saved 7 Lives-OxBig News Network

Ahmedabad: There was no warning. No voice from above. No flashing sign. But for seven people meant to be on Air India Flight 171, something – a pause, a tug or a moment of doubt – kept them grounded. Hours later, that hesitation would be the only thing separating them from a tragedy that left a nation gasping.

In Vadodara, Yaman Vyas was all packed to return to London. His work permit, his bags and his plans – everything was in place. But before leaving, he touched his parents’ feet for blessings. That is when his mother broke down. “Stay a little longer, son,” she begged. There was no logic in her words, just love.

His father, too, stayed silent but supportive. Something in her voice held him back. He cancelled the flight without asking questions. Hours later, the news broke. That aircraft would never reach London. “I did not understand it then but now I do. My mother saved my life,” he says.

For Jaimin and Priya Patel from Ahmedabad, the trip to London was supposed to be their first vacation abroad. Their friend had arranged everything. They were beaming at the airport until the check-in staff halted them. They were told that there was some issue with the documents. It could not be sorted in time.

They pleaded, argued and reasoned. But the airline did not budge. Dejected, they left the terminal. An hour later, their phone rang, “You are on the TV.” The same staff they had argued with, they now silently thanked.

Savji Timbadia had no logistical hurdle. His London-bound seat – 1A – was confirmed. His bags were packed. But that morning, he called his son with an unusual request. “I don’t feel like flying. I ill come Monday,” he said, without offering any logical reason. A kind of restlessness in his mind he could not explain. That feeling saved his life.

In Bharuch, Bhoomi Chauhan fought a losing battle with the city’s notorious traffic. Stuck in jams, rerouted endlessly, she finally reached the airport – 10 minutes too late. The gates were closed. She pleaded. No luck. Angry and disheartened, she left. Then came the headlines. “Now I know why I missed it. I was meant to live,” she whispered.

Jayesh Thakkar, an event organiser from Vadodara, found himself stranded in Kolkata, delayed by a business commitment. It meant he would not make the AI 171 departure. He was irritated at first. But when he learned what happened, that irritation turned into silence.

And then there was Ravji Patel. His son-in-law Arjun had lost his wife just weeks ago. Now returning to London to be with their young daughters, he urged Ravji to join him. “Come meet the girls,” he had said. But Ravji, overwhelmed by work and grief, postponed his trip.

He never imagined he would lose Arjun too, just days after saying goodbye to his daughter.

Seven people. Seven different stories. One shared fate. Whether it was a crying mother, gridlock on the roads, airline bureaucracy or a feeling that defied logic – something stepped in. Something kept them away from that boarding gate.

And that something, they now say, might just have been life choosing to wait a little longer.