Air India crash: This man was just over 30 metres from the blast site at 1.37 pm, he tells how he survived

At exactly 1:37 pm on June 12, Omprakash Prajapati, a rickshaw driver, arrived at the Atulyam gate of Civil Hospital in Ahmedabad to pick up a passenger. Just a few minutes later, he heard three loud blasts that shook the ground.

“I think it was doctors who booked the ride to Asarwa railway station,” Prajapati recalled. “Soon after the blasts, the ride was cancelled. Maybe they cancelled it because it became impossible to step out.”

A close call

Prajapati, who was about 30 to 50 metres away from the crash site, said he received burn injuries on both legs while trying to escape the scene.

“As I was about to enter the gate, I heard three deafening blasts. At first, I thought it was a bomb blast. Then I realised it was a plane crash,” he said. “I panicked and ran for my life, leaving behind my rickshaw and even my mobile phone.”

Searching for the passengers

After being discharged from hospital, Prajapati said he tried to contact the people who had booked the ride, but he couldn’t reach them.

“I truly pray that the doctors are safe. I couldn’t find their phone numbers but I still hope they’re alright,” he said with concern.

'Just a few minutes saved my life'

Prajapati believes a delay of just a couple of minutes saved his life. “If the ride had been booked any earlier, I would’ve been inside the hospital campus when the crash happened. The very thought sends shivers down my spine.”

Inputs from TOI