Miracles are messy. We usually think of a plane crash as a binary event—either everyone is gone, or everyone is saved. But the reality of a survivor of Air India crash is something far more complex, a grueling mix of split-second physics, sheer luck, and a lifetime of psychological heavy lifting. When we talk about these events, like the 2020 Kozhikode tragedy or the 2010 Mangalore disaster, we focus on the black box. We look at the flight data recorders. Honestly, though, the real story is in the people who walked out of the wreckage when they shouldn't have been able to.
Survival isn't just about breathing. It’s about the "what now."
The Physics of the "Miracle" in Kozhikode
Take Air India Express Flight 1344. August 2020. A Boeing 737-800. It’s raining—not just a drizzle, but that heavy, blinding Kerala monsoon rain that turns runways into ice rinks. The plane overshot the "tabletop" runway at Kozhikode, plummeted 35 feet down a slope, and broke in two.
Why did anyone survive?
Mostly because there was no fire. If the fuel had ignited, the narrative changes instantly. But for a survivor of Air India crash in that specific instance, the fuselage breaking apart was actually their escape hatch. You’ve got people like Murtaza Fazal Sarang, who described a sudden, violent jolt and then... silence. He didn't even realize the plane had split until he saw the rainy night sky through a gap where the ceiling used to be. It’s weirdly quiet in those moments. The screaming usually starts a few seconds later once the brain catches up to the adrenaline.
The Survival Gap: 2010 vs. 2020
If you look at the Mangalore crash of 2010 (Flight 812), the math was much grimmer. Out of 166 people, only eight survived. Eight. One of them, Pradeep Kotian, literally jumped out of a crack in the fuselage as the plane caught fire. He didn't wait. He didn't look for his luggage. He just ran until he couldn't hear the explosions anymore.
👉 See also: What Really Happened With the Women's Orchestra of Auschwitz
The difference between being a survivor and a statistic often comes down to seat rows and impact angles. In Mangalore, the fire was the killer. In Kozhikode, it was the blunt force of the fall. Experts like Captain Amit Singh, an air safety advocate, often point out that "survivability" is a technical term used by investigators to describe whether the environment inside the cabin remained "habitable" during the impact. For the lucky few in the middle sections of these broken planes, the cabin stayed just intact enough.
The Invisible Wounds of a Survivor of Air India Crash
The physical scars heal. Broken legs get casted. Burns get grafted. But the "survivor’s guilt" is a different beast entirely. Imagine being the one person in your row who made it out while the person next to you didn't.
Vipin Chandran, a survivor of the Kozhikode crash, spoke about the recurring nightmares. It’s not just the crash; it’s the sound of the metal grinding. It's the smell of aviation fuel. Most people don't realize that for a survivor of Air India crash, the trauma is often compounded by the legal and bureaucratic nightmare that follows. You're dealing with insurance adjusters, airline reps, and the media while you're still trying to figure out why your hands won't stop shaking when you hear a loud noise.
Psychologists call it PTSD, but that feels too clinical. It’s a total rewiring of how you perceive safety. You never look at a seatbelt the same way again.
Why Tabletop Runways are the Real Villain
We need to talk about the geography. India has several "tabletop" runways—Mangalore, Kozhikode, Lengpui. These are airports built on top of hills or plateaus with steep drops at the end. There is zero margin for error.
✨ Don't miss: How Much Did Trump Add to the National Debt Explained (Simply)
If a pilot lands long, there’s no "run-off" area. It’s a cliff.
The DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) has been grilled for years about these. After the 2010 Mangalore crash, recommendations were made. Some were followed; many weren't. When the 2020 crash happened, it felt like a hauntingly familiar script. For a survivor of Air India crash, this is the most frustrating part. They realize their life-altering trauma was likely preventable. It wasn't just "an act of God." It was a failure of infrastructure and protocol.
The Compensation Battle
Money is a dirty word after a tragedy, but it’s the only way families survive when a breadwinner is injured or lost. Under the Montreal Convention, airlines are liable for specific amounts, but getting that money is a marathon.
- Interim payments: Usually meant for immediate medical bills.
- Final settlements: These can take years of litigation.
- The "No-Fault" Clause: Airlines are technically liable up to a certain limit regardless of whether they were "wrong," but they often fight the higher tiers of compensation.
A survivor of Air India crash often finds themselves in a David vs. Goliath battle against Air India’s legal team and their insurers. It’s exhausting. You’ve survived a plane crash only to be buried in paperwork.
What We Get Wrong About Aviation Safety
People think the back of the plane is safest. Or the exit row. Honestly? It depends on how the plane hits. In Kozhikode, the front took the brunt of the impact. In other crashes, the tail snaps off. There is no "magic seat."
🔗 Read more: The Galveston Hurricane 1900 Orphanage Story Is More Tragic Than You Realized
Safety is about the "Golden Five Minutes." That’s the window you have to get out before smoke inhalation or fire takes over. Survivors are almost always the people who:
- Read the safety card (yes, actually).
- Counted the rows to the nearest exit.
- Left their carry-on bags behind.
It sounds simple, but in a crisis, people reach for their laptops. They waste precious seconds. The survivors of these Air India flights were often those who moved instinctively and immediately.
Moving Forward: Practical Steps for the Concerned Traveler
If you’re reading this because you have a fear of flying or you’re following the aftermath of an incident, there are actual things you can do. Aviation is still statistically the safest way to travel, but being an informed passenger matters.
Research the Airport
Check if you are flying into a tabletop runway. In India, that’s primarily Kozhikode (CCJ), Mangalore (IXE), and Shimla (SLV). Pilots need special certification to land there. If the weather looks horrific, airlines sometimes divert, and you should be glad when they do.
Understand Your Rights
If you are ever involved in an "occurrence" (the industry term for an accident), you are entitled to immediate assistance. Do not sign "full and final" waivers in the first 48 hours. Your brain is in shock; you aren't thinking clearly.
Focus on "The Plus Five"
The first three minutes of takeoff and the last eight minutes of landing are when most accidents happen. Stay off your phone. Keep your shoes on. Don't have your tray table down. These small things make you mobile if you need to move fast.
The story of a survivor of Air India crash is ultimately one of resilience, but it’s also a warning. It’s a reminder that safety regulations are written in blood. Every time an investigator digs a flight recorder out of the mud, they are trying to ensure that the next person on that flight doesn't have to become a "survivor"—they just get to be a passenger who arrives on time.
Actionable Insights for Travelers and Advocates
- Audit your travel insurance: Does it cover "repatriation" and "emergency medical evacuation"? Most standard policies are surprisingly thin on the details that matter after a major wreck.
- Support Safety Oversight: Organizations like the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) audit national authorities. Keep an eye on the "Effective Implementation" (EI) scores of the regions you fly in.
- Mental Health First: If you know someone who was a survivor of Air India crash or any traumatic event, understand that "moving on" isn't a linear process. Specialized trauma counseling is non-negotiable.
- Lobby for EMAS: The "Engineered Material Arresting System" is a bed of crushable concrete at the end of runways that stops planes. It’s expensive, but it saves lives on tabletop runways. It's the difference between a scary stop and a fatal fall.