It is a tragedy of immense proportions! One of the worst in the history of civil aviation in India! An Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner (AI-171), from Ahmedabad to London, crashed shortly after take-off. The flight departed at 1:38 pm from the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on Thursday, June 12. The failure to achieve lift occurred at a very low altitude of 825 feet, resulting in a crash and the aircraft bursting into flames - just 33 seconds after take-off. The plane had 242 people on board - 230 passengers, 10 crew members, and two pilots.

Videos show the plane struggling to gain altitude before it begins losing lift (upward force that allows an aircraft to stay airborne) and crashes, turning into a ball of fire. The devastating crash claimed 241 out of the 242 on board! According to the news agency Reuters, "the plane was carrying 169 Indians, 53 Britons, 7 Portuguese, and 1 Canadian. Passengers included 217 adults, 11 children, and 2 infants." Eyewitnesses reported hearing a loud explosion followed by flames and heavy smoke rising near the crash site.

No one, at this juncture, seems to know the actual cause of this terrible accident! There are, of course, conjectures, assumptions, and opinions ad nauseam; mainstream and social media are full of them. One thing, however, emerges on which there is widespread unanimity is that it was undoubtedly a technical or mechanical problem that caused the crash.

Experts say that the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner is a model with an impeccable safety record. There are, however, differing opinions, and major flaws in the Dreamliner have been pointed out in the past. All this, for the moment, is a matter of conjecture. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and Air India officials will have to release more authentic details (as investigations progress); only then will a clearer and more accurate picture be revealed.

The added tragedy is that the aircraft crashed into the residential quarters of the BJ Medical College, just a few metres outside the airport. Many students were having lunch at that time; others were in their quarters. At least four MBBS students and a doctor's wife were immediately confirmed dead. Speaking to reporters, the college dean, Dr Minakshi Parikh, said, "While four MBBS students living in the hostel died, 19 were injured. Five of them are serious. Two third-year students are untraceable. A doctor's wife was also killed, while two relatives of other doctors were injured. Three members of a doctor's family went missing after the incident." The number of those killed on the campus is expected to be much higher.

The moment the tragedy occurred, there was a united response from every quarter. Civilians ran to the spot to be of help even at great personal risk; there were emergency response teams (from the military, paramilitary and police forces), the firefighters were in full swing, and so were the medical personnel with ambulances. They arrived swiftly at the scene of the crash, even as plumes of smoke billowed from the wreckage. Rescue operations began immediately, with the injured individuals being rushed to nearby hospitals. Local authorities cordoned off the area, and aviation experts were brought on-site to assess the situation.

All this makes one realise the temporariness and unpredictability of life. Plenty of memes and quotes are going viral – which include "Life is so unpredictable- you go for a vacation, and you are killed by shooters; you go for a trophy victory parade and are killed in a stampede. You go on a flight for work/vacation and it crashes. You are eating/studying in the comfort and security of your home, and the plane crashes right on you killing you!" Sad indeed, but that is the truth and fact of life!

From the deceased emerge stories of reunions, new opportunities of homecoming and more, several heart-rending ones. There is the story of a family of five - husband and wife and their three children – from Banswara in Rajasthan. Dr Kaumi Vyas, her husband Pratik Joshi and their three children – Miraya and twins Pradyut and Nakul - were going to London to start a new chapter of their lives.

While on the plane, Pratik took a selfie of the family in which all five of them are seen smiling. While Joshi and his wife, Kaumi, are seated next to each other, the three children are seated beside them on the other side, all posing for the camera with smiles. Pratik had been living in London for six years. A software professional, he'd long dreamed of building a life abroad for his wife and three young children, who stayed back in India. After years of waiting for due clearances, the dream was finally coming true.

Just two days ago, Kamini, a renowned doctor in Udaipur, resigned from her job. The bags were packed, goodbyes were said, and the future was within reach. They sent the selfie to several people. A one-way journey to a new life. But they never made it. None of them are alive today!

Then there was Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, a seasoned pilot with 8,300 hours of flying experience. A resident of Powai, Mr Sabharwal, had reportedly promised his father that he would quit his job shortly and take care of him full-time. Mr Sabharwal was single and lived with his nonagenarian father, who used to work with the DGCA.

There was the co-pilot, Clive Kunder, who had 1,100 hours of flying experience. He, too, comes from a family of aviation enthusiasts, with his mother being a former flight attendant for Air India. A popular young man from the Kalina area of Bombay who dreamt of a great life ahead!

There were two flight attendants from Manipur. Nganthoi Kongbrailatpam and Singson Lamnunthem. Nganthoi is a resident of Thoubal district. Singson, who originally belongs to Old Lambulane in Imphal West, has been residing in the Kangpokpi district due to the ongoing ethnic conflict in the state. Both their families had suffered much because of the conflict; the hopes of their families rested on them.

In a matter of seconds, a lifetime of dreams turned to ash. A brutal reminder that life is terrifyingly fragile. Everything you build, everything you hope for, everything you love —all of it hangs by a thread. So, while you can live, love, and don't wait for happiness to start tomorrow. Life, after all, is temporary and very unpredictable! Even for Ms Bhoomi Chauhan, who was to board the ill-fated flight. The traffic jam in Ahmedabad delayed her, and she missed her flight to London by just ten minutes. "My body is shivering," she stated, even as she sighs with relief!

Prayers are being said all over; candlelight vigils are being held. Messages of sympathy are pouring in from all over the world – including from several world leaders. Pope Leo XIV sent a message to express his "heartfelt condolences" to the families and friends of those who lost their lives in the crash. Saying that he was "deeply saddened by the tragedy involving an Air India aircraft near Ahmedabad." He has assured everyone affected of his prayers for those involved in the recovery efforts and commended the souls of the deceased to "the mercy of the Almighty."

Viktor Emil Frankl (1905 – 1997) was an Austrian neurologist, psychiatrist, philosopher, author, and a holocaust survivor who suffered at the hands of the Nazis. He was the founder of 'logotherapy,' a school of psychotherapy which describes a search for a life meaning as the central human motivational force. The autobiographical Man's Search for Meaning, a best-selling book, is based on his experiences in various Nazi concentration camps.

In the book, he tells the story of how he survived the Holocaust by finding personal meaning in the experience, which gave him the will to live through it. His logotherapy is based on the premise that man's underlying motivator in life is a "will to meaning," even in the most difficult of circumstances. Frankl pointed to research indicating a strong relationship between "meaninglessness" and criminal behaviours, addictions and depression. Dr Frankl explains: "Ultimately, man should not ask what the meaning of his life is, but rather he must recognise that it is he who is asked. In a word, each man is questioned by life; and he can only answer to life by answering for his own life; to life he can only respond by being responsible".

We are called to reflect on the meaning and purpose of our lives. We live in this world for such a short time. We are just pilgrims! Why, then, do we have to hate and kill each other? Why should we waste this short while in discriminating and demonising, excluding and exploiting the other? Can we not make of ourselves pilgrims of hope radiating compassion and unity, equity and fraternity to others? Yes, in this temporary and unpredictable life we all must give ourselves and others both meaning and fulfilment!

In the meantime, let our hearts, minds and lips well up in prayer:
"May all the victims of this terrible plane tragedy -
-those in the plane and those in the BJ Medical College campus –
Rest in Peace!
Our heartfelt and prayerful condolences
to ALL who have lost a loved one
We share in their grief!"