Ahmedabad

The fatal aircraft crash at Baramati that claimed the life of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has reopened old wounds for residents of Ahmedabad’s Shahibaug and Meghaninagar areas, where one of India’s deadliest aviation disasters unfolded less than a year ago.

For many locals, news of the Baramati tragedy instantly brought back memories of June 12 last year, when Air India flight AI 171, a Boeing 787-8 bound for London Gatwick, went down moments after taking off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. The aircraft slammed into a medical college hostel complex, erupting into flames and killing 241 of the 242 people onboard, along with 19 people on the ground.

The scale of destruction from that afternoon remains deeply etched in the minds of those who witnessed it firsthand.

“Ever since I heard about today’s crash, the images from Ahmedabad have been playing in my head again,” said Rajesh Patel, a local businessman who was among the first civilians to reach the crash site last June. “It feels like I am reliving that horrific summer afternoon all over again.”

Patel, who lives around 500 metres from the site of the Ahmedabad crash, recalled noticing a massive plume of black smoke rising into the sky. “Initially, I thought it was some kind of explosion. Then one of my staff members, who stays closer to the hostel, called and said a plane had crashed,” he said.

Within minutes, Patel and several others rushed towards the site. “We reached there in about ten minutes, but the heat was unbearable. There were flames everywhere and the smell of burning aviation fuel was overwhelming,” he said, adding that thick smoke made it difficult to even keep their eyes open.

According to Patel, entering the crash zone was extremely risky as small explosions kept occurring due to the fuel still igniting. There was also constant fear that gas cylinders inside the hostel canteen could explode at any moment.

Despite the dangers, Patel said his team assisted authorities in recovering personal belongings from the debris. “We found gold ornaments, some cash, foreign passports and currency,” he said, adding that the recovered items — including around 70 tolas of gold and Rs 50,000 — were immediately handed over to the police.

What haunted him the most, Patel said, was the condition of the victims. “There wasn’t a single body that was intact. What we found were remains — flesh and bones. We wrapped them in bedsheets and bags and handed them to officials,” he recalled.

One moment, however, left a permanent mark on him. “Recovering the body of a pregnant woman shattered me. My hands were trembling. The thought of an unborn child dying like that is something I can never forget,” he said, his voice choking.

The Baramati crash has also reopened emotional scars for families who lost loved ones in the Ahmedabad tragedy.

For Suresh Patni, a resident of Meghaninagar, even hearing about another plane crash is enough to bring back unbearable grief. His 14-year-old son Akash was among those killed on the ground last June.

“Every time we think about that day, we lose our appetite,” Patni said quietly. “No parent should ever have to go through this kind of pain. I pray such tragedies never happen again, but fate has its own course.”

Akash had gone out to deliver lunch to his mother, who runs a small tea stall near the B J Medical College hostel, when the aircraft crashed into the complex.

Another grieving parent, Girdharbhai Jirawala, said news of the Baramati incident reopened wounds that have barely begun to heal. “Whenever I hear about a plane crash, my heart sinks,” he said, tears welling up. “It reminds me of my son Mahesh. Losing a child at this age is a pain that cannot be described.”

Mahesh Jirawala, a filmmaker and founder of the Jeevandhara Foundation Seva Trust, was among the 19 people killed on the ground during the Ahmedabad crash.

According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, Ajit Pawar and four others lost their lives on Wednesday morning when a Learjet 46 aircraft crashed at Baramati airport in Pune district.

Members of the aviation community have also expressed shock over the incident. A Gandhinagar-based pilot who frequently flies politicians and VIPs described the crash as deeply unsettling. “It’s a tragic day for all of us in aviation. I personally knew one of the pilots who died in the Baramati crash,” he said.

Recalling an earlier interaction, he said he had flown Pawar from the same airport in 2021. “Every accident teaches us something, but the loss is always immense,” he added.

Another pilot who operates flights for Gujarat government officials said pilots strictly follow standard operating procedures, with safety remaining the top priority. However, he noted that winter conditions often pose challenges. “Low visibility is common during this season,” he said.

He also pointed out that Baramati airport is an uncontrolled airstrip without a full-fledged instrument landing system. “In such locations, pilots rely heavily on their experience, visual judgment and onboard GPS systems, especially during landing,” he explained.

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For residents of Ahmedabad who have already endured unimaginable loss, each new aviation tragedy serves as a painful reminder of a day they wish they could forget — but never can.