Today I am sharing you a story of courage which helped a victim of plane crash with 60% burn to lead a perfect normal life.
26th April 1993 was one of the most unfateful day in the history of indian Aviation. Indian Airlines Boeing 737 was the on its connecting route from Delhi to Mumbai with en route stops at Jaipur, Udaipur and Aurangabad. The heavily laden aircraft started its takeoff from Aurangabad's runway 09 in hot and humid temperatures.
After lifting off almost at the end of the runway, it impacted heavily with a truck on a highway at the end of runway. The left main landing gear, left engine bottom crowling and thrust reverser impacted the left side of the truck at a height of nearly seven feet from the level of the road. Thereafter the aircraft hit the high tension electric wires nearly 3 km North-East of the runway and hit the ground.The probable cause of the crash was the Pilots' error in initiating late rotationand following wrong rotation technique" and "failure of the NAA to regulate the mobile traffic on the highway during the flight hours". There was speculation that the truck was actually on the runway and not outside on the road. There were 112 passengers and 6 crew members on board, 63 were survived out of which 52 had fatal injuries.
I recently met Priyanka Bafna, who was in that unfateful flight but she was miraclously survived, she met severe injuries and undergone through trauma for years together. But her strong will power, emotional support of parents and excellent treatment, care of Bombay Hospital experts made it possible to lead her life normal life now.
Remembering 26th April 1993 she narrates that she boarded IC409 at Udaipur for Mumbai via Aurangabad. It was hot and sultry day, the plane crashed with moving truck, the impact was so strong that the plane divided into 3 parts. It was basically pilot error. Luckily for her, she was able to jump off, body caught fire from backside, she started running in this condition. Luckily for her a Sumo was passing through and the owner kindly managed to give her lift. Buy that time 58 to 60 percent part of her body had burns. While most of the victims were taken to the local hospitals. Priyanka's parents have immense faith in Bombay Hospital's experts. So Bafna family taken Priyanka to Mumbai in the relief plane arranged by Sharad Pawar.
Priynaka was taken under care of a team of experts headed by Dr. Sanjay Begani, everyday used to be a challenge for the doctors as the burns were fatal and serious. Gradually her body responded to the treatment. Reconstructing the skin back to look normal is also a big challenge, at this stage Dr Ashok Gupta came into action. She remained in ICU for one month and her total stay in Hospital was 6 months. The recovery process is very slow in such treatments, very tiring and patient undergo through lot of trauma. At this particular moment family was there like a strong wall, encourage her to have trust in her.
After long trauma, she tried to lead a normal life, completed her course from Sofia College in designing, started her own business in 1997, married and leading a happy family life.
There were number of people who counseled priyanka in her weaker moments of life, the best on was Manager of Blood Bank who often com to see her, he always used to say " It is possible to be cured but the pain is yours"
I asked her whether she met any other victim of the crash. She says : no.
Priyanka now celebrate 26th April as her second birthday.
Priyanka's story is very inspiring for those who undergo through the similar trauma, and a lesson also that believing in yourself is the answer to any kind of adversity in life.
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| Priyanka with Dr Ashok Gupta, one of the best plastic surgeon of India who came as strength to her. |
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