Friday, August 16, 2019

When I thought our plane was hijacked

On 15 December 2015, after completing a workshop at IIT Mumbai, I was on my way back to Hyderabad. I finished the airport procedures and boarded an Air India flight. Like everybody else, I took my seat and patiently waited for the pilots to start the push back from the apron. A few minutes went by and nothing happened. The engines were roaring though.

When it was well past our departure time, my fellow passengers started getting restless. But there were still no cabin announcements informing us of the reason for the delay or when we would be on the go. 
Then, a flight attendant asked us to queue up and be ready to deplane. I immediately called my taxi fellow and arranged a pickup. The aircraft’s engine suddenly stopped with a big jolt.

The pilot picked up the mike and announced, “There seems to be a technical fault, regret for the inconvenience.”  Fifteen minutes passed.  Then I looked out of the window and saw police vehicles barricading the aircraft. An ambulance and a few fire engines were also there. For a minute I thought our plane was hijacked. I called up my husband and briefed him about the situation. I asked him to check the media for any reports about the aircraft that I was on. 
A few minutes later he called back to inform that a member of the ground crew has been sucked into
the aircraft engine and crushed to death. For a minute I froze. I was sitting so close to the flesh and bones of a fellow human! In order to appease the restless passengers, the crew served refreshments. Soon, all of them were busy enjoying sandwiches.
There were no announcements about the mishap. The crew only informed us that there was a technical fault and another aircraft has been arranged to take us to our destination. In a short while, some came to know about the incident and the word spread. However, instead of showing sympathy, my fellow passengers blamed the airline for the delay. I was wondering how self-centric we have become. When humans forget humanity, we become just organised animals. Even today, when I think about the incident, it sends shivers down my spine.
16/08/19 Priya Narayanan/New Indian Express
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