'Ganapati saved me': Woman misses Ahmedabad crash flight by 10 minutes due to traffic jam

In a chilling twist of fate, Bhoomi Chouhan, a London-based woman visiting Ahmedabad for a vacation, narrowly escaped death by missing her flight by just ten minutes. Bhoomi was scheduled to board Air India flight AI171, which tragically crashed minutes after takeoff on Thursday afternoon, killing over 200 of the 242 people onboard.

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“I was heading back home to London. I was traveling alone. The flight was on time. But I got stuck in a terrible traffic jam and missed check-in by just ten minutes,” Bhoomi said, visibly shaken. “My body is still shivering. I am completely devastated. I keep thinking—I should have been on that plane.”

The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad, plunging into a hostel building near the airport. Bhoomi believes divine intervention saved her life. “Ganapati saved me. That’s all I can say. This was no coincidence.”

Her husband, who lives in London, broke down in relief after hearing of her missed flight. Bhoomi is currently staying with relatives in Ahmedabad and trying to process the emotional weight of her escape.

The crash, now under investigation, is being called one of India’s worst aviation disasters. For Bhoomi, it’s a haunting reminder that sometimes, being late can be a blessing in disguise. “Truth is stranger than fiction,” she says.