The air crash involving the Ahmedabad-London Gatwick bound Air India flight has been horrific. The authorities will investigate what caused that horrendous crash that snuffed away so many precious lives within a minute of the aircraft taking off. In addition, to add to the tragedy were the lives lost and those injured who were in the medical hostel and neighbourhood into which the ill-fated aircraft crashed.
One wonders how construction of these buildings was allowed so close to the airport while the law requires that a buffer zone be maintained around airports. Similarly, in Goa around the Dabolim Airport so many high-rise residential buildings have been allowed in clear violation of law.
On the late evening of April 2nd, I was to take a London Gatwick Air India flight to Goa’s Mopa Airport. As we were all getting ready to board the flight, we were told that the flight was being cancelled, as there was a problem with the emergency lights. The 250 odd passengers comprising mostly of Goans were outraged, furious and fuming. Late that night we were herded into a London hotel and our flight to Goa, on the now controversial Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner was rescheduled for the next evening. In hindsight, it was worth the delay and inconvenience, but to gladly reach Goa safely and return to London after a week.
May lessons be learnt from this disastrous air crash so that all precautions and safety measures are taken to ensure safety of passengers and the crew. We are in an age where we spend a lot of hours in airspace and life as we know must go on.
