On April 11th, 1955, a chartered Air India flight named 'Kashmir Princess' was carrying a small delegation of Chinese and East Europeans, mainly journalists, from Hongkong to Indonesia to attend the Asia-Afro Bandung Conference in Indonesia. In command was Capt.D.K.Jatar. At about 18,000 feet a time-bomb detonated in the wheel bay of the plane, blowing a hole in the fuel tank. The rapid spread of the fire caused hydraulic failure followed by electrical failure. Air Hostess Gloria Berry emerged from the dense smoke carrying life jackets for everyone and even personally ‘fixed’ the life jackets on the flight crew members. In an effort to save the aircraft and it’s occupants, Capt. Jatar decided to ditch the aircraft in the sea. He carried out all precautionary measures for the ditching and issued orders in a cool and unperturbed manner. Though this brave decision resulted unfortunately in the self-sacrifice of the Captain, there were three survivors-the flight engineer,...
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