Mumbai: A passenger who travelled on the same Air India aircraft just hours before it tragically crashed near Ahmedabad has come forward, stating he observed “something unusual” with the plane’s flaps during his flight.
Akash Vatsa, who flew from Delhi to Ahmedabad on the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, told on Friday that while no major issues were immediately apparent during take-off, he was unsettled by some unusual behaviour of the aircraft’s rear flaps at cruising altitude.
“It was the same Boeing 787 Dreamliner. I didn’t notice any critical issues at the start, but I personally felt something wasn’t right with the flaps outside. The rear part of the flaps kept moving up and down. Experts would know better if that’s normal, but it caught my attention,” he said.
Vatsa also mentioned problems with the aircraft’s air conditioning system while on the ground, which he tried to report to the cabin crew. “The AC wasn’t functioning properly when we were boarding, and even after it was turned on, the temperature kept fluctuating. I brought it up, but the crew seemed pressed for time as the flight was about to depart. After landing, several passengers joked that the shuttle bus had better air conditioning than the flight,” he added.
Just hours later, the same aircraft operating Air India flight AI 171 crashed shortly after take-off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad. The aircraft, carrying 242 people, crashed into a doctor’s hostel near the airport.
Of those on board, 241 people lost their lives. The only survivor, identified as Vishwashkumar Ramesh, a British national of Indian origin, is currently undergoing treatment for his injuries.
Former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani was among the deceased. Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Ahmedabad Civil Hospital earlier in the day to meet the injured and the lone survivor.
According to airline officials, the passengers included 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese citizens, and one Canadian national. Authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the crash.
