Ahmedabad, 13 June

Bhumi Chauhan, who moved to London two years ago on a study visa and is currently in India, is thanking God and her stars for missing the ill-fated Air India plane that crashed in Ahmedabad as she got stuck in traffic and reached the airport late.

Chauhan said she missed boarding the AI 171 flight to London, which crashed soon after taking-off on Thursday afternoon from the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, by just 10 minutes.

She is visiting her hometown Ahmedabad for the first time after moving to the UK two years ago.

"I am shivering after I learnt about the crash. I left the airport at 1.30pm as I missed the flight due to traffic. I thank God," Chauhan told PTI Videos.

She said she was in India for vacation after moving to the UK on a study visa and scheduled to go back to London on the flight. The AI 171 flight took off at 1.39pm and crashed into a medical college complex near the Ahmedabad airport and burst into a ball of fire less than a minute after take-off, leaving just one survivor.

"The flight was on time and I missed it by 10 minutes and I thank God. My prayers for all those who were on board," she said.

Chauhan, who was travelling alone, said she got delayed because of traffic and by the time she reached the airport, boarding and check-in for the flight had closed.

"I requested (to airport authorities) that I be let in. I was the last passenger. But my request was not accepted. This is a miracle. Mataji and Ganpati bappa protected me. I am terrified at the loss of lives. I am totally numb," she said.

Chauhan said she learnt about the tragedy, which claimed 265 lives (including passengers and on ground deaths), when she was going back home from the airport.

According to Air India, of the 230 passengers on the flight, 169 were Indians, 53 British, seven Portuguese and one Canadian. The other 12 people on board were two pilots and 10 crew members.