When you search for how many people survived the air india crash, you aren't usually looking for a single number. That's because "the" Air India crash doesn't exist. There isn't just one. Instead, India’s aviation history is marked by two massive, haunting tragedies that people often conflate: the 1985 mid-air bombing of Flight 182 and the 2010 "tabletop" disaster of Flight 812 in Mangalore.
The numbers are stark. They’re honestly devastating.
In the 1985 bombing, the survival rate was zero. Every single person—329 souls—perished over the Atlantic. But in the 2010 Mangalore crash, a miracle occurred amidst the fire. Out of 166 people on board, 8 people survived. Just eight.
Understanding how those eight lived while others didn't requires looking at the physics of the crash and the sheer luck of where they were sitting.
The Mangalore Disaster: Why 8 Survived Air India Express 812
On May 22, 2010, Air India Express Flight 812 was coming in from Dubai. It was a Boeing 737-800. The landing should have been routine, but the aircraft overshot the "tabletop" runway at Mangalore International Airport. If you've never seen a tabletop runway, it's basically a landing strip on top of a hill surrounded by deep gorges. There is no "run-off" room.
The plane plunged over the edge, broke apart, and burst into flames.
So, how many people survived the air india crash in Mangalore? The final count was 8 survivors and 158 fatalities.
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Those who lived didn't survive because of superior safety briefings or better bracing. They lived because the plane split open in a specific way that ejected them or allowed them to jump before the fire consumed the fuselage. Joel Pratap Shibu, one of the survivors, famously recounted how the plane broke in two, and he saw a glimpse of daylight through the smoke. He jumped out of the tear in the cabin and ran.
Another survivor, Pradeep Kotian, managed to scramble out of the same gap. Most of those who lived were seated in the middle or forward-middle section of the plane, near where the structural failure occurred.
It's a terrifying thought. Usually, we're told the back of the plane is safest. In Mangalore, the back was a death trap of crumpled metal and burning fuel.
The Total Loss: Air India Flight 182 (Kanishka)
We have to talk about the 1985 disaster because it remains the deadliest act of aviation terrorism in Canadian and Indian history. On June 23, 1985, a bomb exploded in the cargo hold of the Emperor Kanishka while it was at 31,000 feet.
There were no survivors.
The wreckage fell into the North Atlantic, off the coast of Ireland. For those asking how many people survived the air india crash of 182, the answer is a chilling zero. 329 people died.
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The search for bodies was one of the most harrowing operations in maritime history. Only 131 bodies were recovered from the ocean. The rest were lost to the deep. This crash changed aviation security forever. It’s the reason why your bags are now strictly matched to your person—back then, "M. Singh" checked a bag onto the flight but never boarded. That bag contained the bomb.
What Most People Get Wrong About Survival Rates
People often think plane crashes are binary—everyone lives or everyone dies. The statistics actually tell a different story. According to data from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the survival rate in aviation accidents is actually over 90% when you look at all incidents globally.
But Air India's major historical crashes are outliers.
The 2010 Mangalore crash is studied by safety experts precisely because of those 8 survivors. It highlights the "Golden Five Minutes." Basically, if you aren't killed by the initial impact, you have about 90 to 120 seconds to get out before the smoke and fire become lethal.
In Mangalore, the terrain made it impossible for fire trucks to reach the site quickly. The 8 people who lived were the ones who moved instantly. They didn't look for their bags. They didn't wait for instructions. They saw a hole in the metal and they moved.
Recent Incidents: The 2020 Kozhikode Crash
If you're looking for more recent data on how many people survived the air india crash, you’re likely thinking of Air India Express Flight 1344. This happened in August 2020 during the height of the pandemic.
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Like Mangalore, this was another tabletop runway at Kozhikode (Calicut).
- Total on board: 190
- Fatalities: 21
- Survivors: 169
This was a "survivable" crash in the eyes of investigators, even though the plane fell 30 feet off the end of the runway and split in two. The difference between 21 deaths and 158 deaths (like in Mangalore) was the lack of a post-crash fire. The pilots, who tragically died, had shut off the engines, which likely prevented the fuel from igniting.
Why the Number of Survivors Matters for Future Safety
When we ask about survival numbers, we aren't just being morbid. These numbers drive the engineering of the planes you fly today.
Because of the survivors in Mangalore and Kozhikode, there has been an immense push to install "arresting systems" at the end of tabletop runways. These are basically beds of cellular cement that crush under the weight of a plane, slowing it down before it can go over a cliff.
Also, the way seats are bolted to the floor was redesigned. In older crashes, the seats would often tear loose and crush passengers against the bulkhead. Newer "16G" seats are designed to stay attached even during massive deceleration.
Actionable Steps for Air Travelers
You can’t control if a plane crashes, but you can influence your own survival odds. The data from Air India's history makes this clear:
- The Five-Row Rule: Survivors usually sit within five rows of an emergency exit. If you’re more than five rows away, your chances of getting out before smoke inhalation sets in drop significantly.
- Keep Your Shoes On: Many Mangalore survivors had to trek through fire and jagged metal. You can’t do that in flip-flops or bare feet. Keep your lace-up shoes on during takeoff and landing.
- Count the Seats: When you sit down, physically touch the seats between you and the exit. If the cabin fills with thick, black smoke (which happens in seconds), you won't be able to see. You need to be able to find the door by feel.
- Forget the Luggage: In the Kozhikode and Mangalore crashes, some passengers actually tried to grab their overhead bags. This blocks the aisle and costs lives. Nothing in that bag is worth more than your breath.
The history of Air India is a somber reminder of the risks of flight, but the survivors of these tragedies provide the blueprint for safer skies in the future. Whether it's 8 people out of 166 or 169 out of 190, every survivor represents a lesson learned in engineering, pilot training, and human resilience.
Resources for Further Research
- AAIB (Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau) India: Official reports on the 2010 and 2020 crashes.
- The Kanishka Project: A Canadian initiative documenting the legacy of Flight 182.
- Flight Safety Foundation: Analysis of tabletop runway risks and mitigation strategies.