Mumbai: As a chartered plane flew right into a residential area in Mumbai’s Ghatkopar on Thursday, locals feared this would be the end of it. However, the plane crashed into a nearby under-construction building whose workers had gone out for lunch, thus saving the mishap from turning into an even severe one.
Five people, including two pilots, were killed in the accident on Thursday afternoon when the aircraft crashed around 1 pm. According to rescue officials, the death toll would have been far higher had the plane crashed a little before 1 pm or later.
About 30 labourers working in the building had stepped out for lunch and were lucky to have taken the break.
According to locals, the plane hovered over the area in Sarvodya Nagar of Ghatkopar (west) perhaps looking for an empty spot to land. Many witnessed the aircraft flying unusually close to their houses and thought that it might end up running into them.
The crash was so severe that loud explosions rocked the entire Jagruti Nagar locality. Resident Prakash S Giri told PTI, “The explosions following the crash and flames leaping in the air were so huge that initially we could not understand what had happened."
Some even claimed that a man living on the third floor of a nearby building jumped out from the balcony after the crash, fearing that his building was going to collapse.
The flight was carrying other maintenance staff along with the pilots who also died immediately after the crash. A pedestrian was also killed along with the four.
NCP leader and MP Praful Patel lauded the deceased woman pilot who avoided crashing into a busy area. He wrote in a tweet: “Saddened to hear about the unfortunate incident at #ghatkopar as Charter plane crashes in an open area. Salute to the pilot who showed presence of mind to avoid a big mishap, saving many lives at the cost of her own life. #RIP to all the 5 Dead. My deepest condolences."
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