Owen Jackson, a British national, has told the mind-blowing story of how he narrowly escaped dying in the devastating Air India plane crash.A single decision he made was what saved him from the tragedy.
Jackson shared his harrowing brush with tragedy after narrowly avoiding the devastating Air India Flight AI171 crash by changing his travel plans at the last minute. The deadly crash, which occurred shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad on June 12, 2025, claimed 270 lives, including 52 British nationals.
Owen Jackson Made a Last-Minute Decision That Saved His Life
Owen Jackson could have been on the Air India flight that killed all but one passenger onboard. However, in a slight twist of fate, he did not get onboard and this changed his life forever.
Originally scheduled to fly home from Ahmedabad on the ill-fated Air India flight, Jackson, a business consultant from Saffron Walden, Essex, made a last-minute change to his itinerary due to work commitments. Our findings show that, instead of flying on Thursday, Jackson rescheduled for Saturday—an unforeseen decision that may have saved his life.
After the crash, Owen Jackson granted interviews to talk about the tragedy. In an interview, Jackson said:
“It’s surreal. You hear about plane crashes, but when it’s the very flight you were meant to be on—it hits differently. I’m overwhelmed with gratitude.”
In what will come across as a really eerie coincidence, Owen Jackson was later assigned seat 11A on his rescheduled flight. Interestingly, this was the same seat that was occupied by Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, the sole survivor of the Air India plane crash.
Recall that the London-bound Boeing 787 Dreamliner went down just 30 seconds after takeoff, slamming into a hostel housing medical students and their families in Ahmedabad’s Meghaninagar district.
The Family Of Owen Jackson Was in Turmoil Following Hours of Silence
When Owen Jackson changed his flight plans, he did not inform his wife about the change of plans. He did it quietly, not giving too much thought to it. And so, Jackson’s wife, Phillipa, 30, a schoolteacher, was unaware that her husband had changed his plans.
Therefore, when news of the Air India plane crash broke, she was consumed with fear and uncertainty, believing she had lost her husband. Phillipa knew that her husband had originally planed to travel on the Air India light and so she feared her husband was gone ad se would ever see him again.
To make matters worse, she couldn’t reach him for hours after the crash, and with each passing minute, the fear that she had lost him grew.
Talking about it later, she said:
“I was teaching when I saw the headline. I tried to stay composed for the kids, but inside I was falling apart. For hours I didn’t know if Owen was alive. I just broke down randomly—I couldn’t function.”
On his own part, Owen Jackson did not even know about the crashed Air India plane for hours after it happened. So, he did not reach out to his family to calm their nerves on time.
Our findings show that due to back-to-back meetings, Owen did not check his phone until nearly two hours after the crash, unaware of the unfolding chaos and panic among loved ones trying to reach him.
Later talking about it, Jackson said:
“I think I was one of the last people to find out. It wasn’t until I saw all the missed calls and messages that I realized what had happened.”
READ ALSO: Air India Crash: Pilot’s Final Words Before Crashing Revealed
When Owen Jackson eventually got in touch with his family and friends, they were beyond overjoyed. His family had suffered unimaginable trauma in the hours when he was unreachable. But they quickly got themselves together and celebrated when they realized he was alive and well.
The day of the Air India crash is one day Jackson and his family would never forget. It was the day that their lives could have been shattered forever But survived the horror because of one simple decision he made.
Investigations Into the Air India Crash Have Intensified
Since the day of the crash, investigations into the horrific tragedy have been ongoing. At the moment, investigators continue to analyze data from the recovered black box and flight data recorder, while officials examine potential causes including mechanical failure, pilot error, and external factors such as bird strikes.
Other possibilities are also being considered as no stone is left unturned. In fact, the possibility of terrorist involvement is also being evaluated as a standard protocol, though authorities suggest it remains unlikely.
A lot of work is still being done at the site of the crash. The crash site, located roughly a mile from the end of the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport runway, is still being combed for evidence. The Indian Ministry of Civil Aviation has ordered immediate inspections of all Boeing 787 Dreamliners in the country to ensure fleet-wide safety compliance.
Several experts and stakeholders have since weighed into the fatal tragedy. Aviation expert Captain Steve Scheibner suggested that a fatal error by the co-pilot could be a contributing factor. Meanwhile, former Boeing manager Ed Pierson raised concerns that past safety issues reported in 2019 may be linked to the tragedy.
Owen Jackson’s Narrow Escape Has Left a Lasting Impact On His Family
Owen Jackson and his family have been left deeply shaken by the Air India crash. Although Jackson escaped the disaster physically unscathed, the emotional impact remains profound for both him and his wife. The couple cannot get their minds off the fact that Jackson could easily one of the persons who perished in the tragic crash.
Later talking about how they feel about the entire disaster, Jackson’s wife, Phillipa said:
“We’re deeply shaken. But our hearts truly go out to the families who weren’t as lucky. The pain they’re facing is unimaginable.”
Without doubt, the story of Owen Jackson has shown everyone just how quickly fate can change. One minute, a person can well and alive and the next, he could be dead. It is also a reminder that one decision can mean the difference between life and death.
