As we mourn the tragic loss of 246 lives in the recent Air India crash in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, our thoughts also turn to the families of the medical students who lost their lives when the plane struck a hostel building. The devastating accident has left us shaken, and our sympathies go out to the bereaved families. Miraculously, one passenger seated on 11-A survived with minor scratches, a reminder that miracles can happen in the most unexpected ways.
This tragic incident reminds us of a similar aircraft accident that occurred nearly 60 years ago in the Kulgam district of Kashmir province. On February 7, 1967, an Indian Airlines Fokker Friendship plane carrying 37 passengers, including 4 crew members, crashed near the Hoein Heng peaks of Kulgam area while flying from Srinagar Airport to Amritsar via Jammu. The weather conditions were adverse, with snow and rain falling non-stop, making it a grim day for flight operations.
The ill-fated plane was carrying a cross-section of Kashmir society, including bureaucrats, police officers, and businessmen. Among the notable passengers were Pro Vice Chancellor of Jammu and Kashmir University, Mr. Mukhtar, his wife, and child; DIG Police Sardar Wazir Mohammad Khan, a pious officer who had donated 5 kanals of land in a prime location of Bagat Barzalla Srinagar for the Wazir Mohammad Mosque, where he is buried; Dr. Hafizullah Hakim, a renowned chest disease specialist; Engineer Haroon Rashid, a brilliant civil engineer who had married just a few months prior to the crash; Mr. Ab Salam Fazili, a young and dynamic civil servant; Mr. Maqbool of Nowhatta Srinagar, who had started the first sanitary and tile shop in the famous Lal Chowk area; and Mr. Mohammed Pandit, son of the renowned businessman Kh Abdul Samad Pandit of Sopore.
Once the administration came to know about the ill-fated plane crash, immediate rescue and relief operations were dispatched, led by Dr. A.R. Kara (Wani), who was the Deputy Director of Health Services at the time. Despite the challenging weather conditions, the team worked tirelessly to reach the crash site. However, due to the harsh weather and snow avalanches, the recovery of bodies took a few weeks.
Interestingly, a similar miracle occurred in the Fokker Friendship plane crash. One passenger, who was the former private secretary to the former Chief Minister Late GM Sadiq, had deboarded the flight after some of his co-passengers persuaded him to do so, and he luckily survived. It’s a poignant reminder that sometimes, a few minutes can make all the difference between life and death.
The crash was a devastating loss for the families and the community. What’s remarkable is the determination of Mr. Pandit’s father, Kh Abdul Samad Pandit, who voluntarily led a team to retrieve the bodies of the passengers from the crash site. After the bodies were recovered, their last rites were performed in a decent manner, bringing some solace to the grieving families. I vividly remember when the dead body of Mr. Maqbool was brought to the Grand Mosque, Jama Masjid Srinagar; thousands attended his Namaz-e-Janaza, including myself, a testament to the respect and admiration he commanded in the community.
The investigation into the crash revealed that Captain Duggal’s navigational error was the primary cause of the accident. He attempted to fly through clouds at an altitude insufficient to ensure safety, resulting in the tragic loss of all lives on board.
As we reflect on these two tragic incidents, we honor the memories of those who lost their lives and offer our condolences to their families. May the souls of the departed rest in peace, and may their legacies live on.
(Author can be reached at: [email protected])
