In the aftermath of last week’s tragic Air India crash, reports suggest that the pilot’s courageous and final decision may have saved countless lives. The doomed aircraft, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, tragically crashed shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad, India, colliding with a medical college hostel and claiming 270 lives.

While investigators are still piecing together the events leading to the incident, the flight faced issues almost immediately upon leaving the ground. At the helm was Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, accompanied by Officer Clive Kundar. Sabharwal was nearing retirement, and Kundar was at the outset of his aviation career.

The pilots managed to alert air traffic control before the crash, a message now echoing their last moments. “Mayday… no thrust, losing power, unable to lift,” Captain Sabharwal relayed in a final poignant message.

Though the aircraft tragically crashed into a medical college hostel, taking the lives of those onboard and some on the ground, the calamity could have been far worse. Speculation suggests that a deliberate choice was made to avoid crashing into the nearby Civil Hospital Ahmedabad. This facility, only 5 km from Ahmedabad airport, accommodates over 3,000 beds, indicating a greater potential loss of life if the aircraft had crashed there.

A Reddit user commented, “Air India AI-171 crashed just 1.7 km from the Ahmedabad airport. It occurred in an area with fewer residents, including doctor’s hostels and a mess for medical students.” They noted the proximity to both the civil hospital and a dense residential neighborhood.

The search for answers continues, as the cause of India’s most devastating air disaster in over thirty years remains unknown. However, the recovery of the airplane’s black box marks a vital breakthrough in the investigation, as stated by Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu, India’s Minister of Civil Aviation. He emphasized its critical role in advancing the inquiry.

Our solemn respects go to all who perished in the tragedy.