Ahmedabad Crash Rekindles Memories for AI Flight 182 Pilot’s Widow
June 28, 1985, was a day that would etch a scar on the lives of Amarjit Kaur and her family forever. It was the day when Air India Flight 182, a Canadian airliner, was blown up mid-air by a bomb, killing 329 people, including 268 Canadians. The tragedy was one of the deadliest in aviation history. Among the victims were 280 innocent civilians, including children, women, and men who were returning from a vacation or on their way to visit family and friends.
Captain SS Bhinder, the co-pilot of the ill-fated flight, was Amarjit Kaur’s husband. She still remembers the day like it was yesterday. The news of the Ahmedabad Air India plane crash, which took the lives of 26 people, including 21 passengers and five crew members, brought back a flood of memories for her.
“It appeared to me…it has happened again,” Amarjit Kaur said, her voice trembling with emotion. “I couldn’t believe it. I thought I had overcome the trauma and pain of losing my husband in the Kanishka tragedy. But the news of the Ahmedabad plane crash brought it all back.”
The Ahmedabad crash, which occurred on May 8, 2022, was a Boeing 787 Dreamliner that was on a flight from Delhi to Dubai when it suffered a technical issue and crashed. The investigation is still ongoing, but it has raised concerns about the safety of air travel once again.
For Amarjit Kaur, the crash was a painful reminder of the day her husband’s life was cut short. She remembers the day he left for work, never to return. She recalls the phone call she received from the airline, informing her that her husband’s plane had been bombed. The news was devastating, and it left her and her family shattered.
Amarjit Kaur’s son, Captain AS Bhinder, is an Air India pilot and flies the same Boeing 787 Dreamliner that crashed in Ahmedabad. He is the same age his father was when the Kanishka tragedy occurred. The thought of his father’s fate has always been a constant presence in his life, and now, he is grappling with the fear of his own mortality.
“It’s a difficult time for me and my family,” Captain Bhinder said in an interview. “I can’t help but think about the what-ifs and the could-haves. I keep thinking about my father and the sacrifices he made for his country. I hope that the investigation into the Ahmedabad crash will bring some answers and help to prevent such tragedies from happening in the future.”
Amarjit Kaur’s story is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit. Despite the trauma and pain she has endured, she has chosen to channel her grief into advocacy work. She has been working with the Canadian government to ensure that the victims of the Kanishka tragedy receive the justice they deserve.
The Ahmedabad plane crash has once again highlighted the importance of air safety. It has raised questions about the measures in place to prevent such tragedies from occurring. The investigation into the crash is ongoing, and it is expected to take several months to complete.
As Amarjit Kaur reflects on the crash, she is reminded of the fragility of life. She is grateful that her son is safe, but she knows that the fear of the unknown is always present. She hopes that the Ahmedabad crash will serve as a wake-up call for the aviation industry and that it will take steps to ensure that such tragedies are prevented in the future.
The news of the Ahmedabad plane crash has brought back a flood of memories for Amarjit Kaur. It has reminded her of the pain and trauma she endured after the Kanishka tragedy. But it has also given her an opportunity to reflect on the sacrifices her husband made and to hope for a safer future for her son and for the millions of people who travel by air every year.
As the world waits for the outcome of the investigation into the Ahmedabad plane crash, Amarjit Kaur’s story serves as a reminder of the importance of air safety and the need for the aviation industry to take responsibility for ensuring the safety of its passengers.
