An Unsettling Eyewitness Account
Akash Vatsa, an entrepreneur, has come forward with a disturbing account of his experience aboard the same Air India Boeing 787-8 aircraft that later operated as flight AI171. Vatsa claims he traveled on the plane from Delhi to Ahmedabad, landing just two hours before it took off again for its ill-fated journey to London. The flight, carrying 242 people, crashed into the hostel mess of BJ Medical College near Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport around 2 pm on Thursday.
In a series of posts on the social media platform X, Vatsa shared his concerns and posted videos he had filmed during his flight. "I was in the same d*mn flight 2 hours before it took off from AMD," he wrote. "I came in this from DEL-AMD. Noticed unusual things in the place. Made a video to tweet to @airindia i would want to give more details. Please contact me." His posts quickly went viral, accumulating over four million views within a few hours.
The videos shared by Vatsa appear to show a cabin with several technical issues. In one clip filmed mid-flight, he highlighted what he described as a malfunctioning air-conditioning system and broken in-flight entertainment screens. "We are almost about to taxi. But the AC is not working. Look at everyone. AC is not working at all.". "And as usual, the TV screens are not working. Not even the light is working. Is this what you are providing?"
In another video, Vatsa expressed his frustration more directly, stating, “Nothing is working, I don’t know why I booked this flight.” He later posted that he had made the decision to not fly back with Air India that same night. It is important to note, as reported by Live Mint, that the authenticity of Vatsa's claims has not yet been independently verified by authorities.
The Context of the Tragedy
Flight AI171 took off from Runway 23 of the Ahmedabad airport at 1:38 pm. Shortly after its departure, the pilot issued a "Mayday" distress call to air traffic control, as confirmed by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). Reports suggest there was no response from ATC following the call. The flight was carrying 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese citizens, and one Canadian. Among the passengers was also former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani. Emergency services immediately rushed to the crash site to conduct firefighting and rescue operations.
Public Reaction and Ongoing Investigation
Vatsa's account has drawn significant public attention and sparked a debate online. While many expressed sympathy and alarm, some social media users questioned the relevance of his observations to the cause of the crash. One user commented, “This is always the case with Air India. Always shoddy entertainment system and seats. Entertainment not functioning properly can’t be the reason for the crash.” Others, however, saw his post as a crucial piece of information. “Thank you for posting to bring awareness and I’m glad you’re safe," said another user. "This is incredibly tragic. My heart goes out to everyone and loved ones of this Air India flight.”
While malfunctioning in-flight amenities like air conditioning and entertainment systems are not typically indicative of critical flight safety issues, Vatsa's account of a generally ill-maintained aircraft environment raises broader questions. Investigators will be tasked with determining the precise sequence of events that led to the crash. The recovery and analysis of the aircraft's "black box" (Flight Data Recorder and Cockpit Voice Recorder) will be essential in this process. However, the testimony from a passenger on the aircraft's penultimate flight provides a deeply unsettling context, suggesting that the plane may have been operating with noticeable deficiencies just before its final, tragic departure.
Source: @akku92/X)
