One survived by chance, 265 died by design
The crash of Air India Flight AI171 in Ahmedabad has left India not only devastated but also deeply troubled. With 265 lives lost, including passengers, crew, and innocent civilians at BJ Medical College, India now confronts its worst aviation disaster in nearly three decades. Amid the tragedy, two names have emerged from the wreckage: Bhoomi Chauhan, who missed the flight by minutes, and Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, the lone passenger to survive. Their survival is astonishing. But miracles must not distract us from the deeper questions of safety oversight, corporate responsibility, and regulatory courage.
The aircraft was a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, widely regarded as a modern marvel, yet never free of controversy. This is the first fatal crash involving a 787 since its launch in 2011, but the warning signs were there. Engine problems, manufacturing quality concerns, and whistleblower testimonies have dogged Boeing for years. Just last year, a former engineer urged the grounding of all Dreamliners, citing safety flaws. The company dismissed him. The FAA has conducted multiple investigations into this aircraft family, yet none seem to have interrupted the rush for commercial continuity.
Flight AI171’s crash is not an isolated event. Since 2000, Boeing planes have been involved in 107 accidents. The now-infamous 737 Max crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia exposed systemic flaws in engineering, regulation, and accountability. Boeing’s billion-dollar settlement with the US Justice Department last month, in exchange for avoiding prosecution, reeked of impunity. Where does that leave passengers boarding their next flight?
India’s aviation sector has matured, but its regulatory backbone remains weak. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) must be more than a record-keeper. It must ask: How did this aircraft, delivered in 2014, pass safety audits? Were there recent complaints? Why did a passenger from a prior Delhi-Ahmedabad leg record a video citing “unusual things” inside the same plane? People need answers, not statements.
This tragedy must be a turning point. Families deserve more than compensation cheques. They deserve a full reckoning, from both the manufacturer and the airline. Bhoomi Chauhan was saved by accident; Vishwash Kumar Ramesh by providence. But safety cannot be left to fate.
If anything good can come from this darkness, let it be this: never again should passengers be left to wonder if their aircraft is truly airworthy.
