"When I got the call from Air India and was asked if I was available for the rescue flight which was scheduled to fly to the Italian coronavirus-affected city of Rome where almost 270 Indians were stranded, I only had few seconds to answer them", says Captain Swati Raval.
Highlights
- Air India Captain Swati Raval led the rescue flight to coronavirus affected Italy.
- 263 Indian nationals, mostly students were brought back to India.
- She became the first female pilot to operate a rescue flight from India during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Flying to Italy, a country already hit very hard by the coronavirus pandemic, meant Swati would have to spend 14 days in quarantine on return and miss out on seeing her five-year-old son and 18-month-old daughter.
“Definitely, it was hard for me to accept the task but at the same time, it was my childhood dream that I could help my nation whenever it needed my service, and, I said YES”, she told SBS Gujarati.
Safety of stranded students and citizens
After accepting the mission, Captain Raval was naturally concerned for her children but says she kept the safety of stranded Indian students and citizens in mind.
If I can’t keep myself away from my kids for 14 days, just imagine, how a mother of a stranded student could tackle the situation.
The very next day, Swati commenced her rescue mission on an Air India Boeing 777 after kissing her kids goodbye.
The flight to Rome on March 21 was different compared to normal flights as there were no passengers on board, only the crew members and eight hours of total silence without any other traffic in the air.
“When we landed in Rome, the airport was desolate, and I could only see the aircraft parked. I was frightened to see the scene which was a little difficult for me to accept the reality,” she described.
Air India Commander Swati Raval. Source: Supplied
A sigh of relief
Captain Raval recalls the moment when the passengers finally boarded her plane.
“I was not allowed to meet the repatriating passengers, but I took the opportunity to see them from my cockpit. I noticed relief on their faces which made me satisfied with my decision."
I came to know from my crew members that after landing, many of the passengers had tears in their eyes, they clapped and cheered for us before leaving the plane.
PM Modi, Minister for Civil Aviation praises the crew
It was the first time the Indian government had sent a rescue flight to any foreign country in the wake of COVID-19.
The Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, and Minister for Civil Aviation, Hardeep Singh Puri, applauded the courage and determination of the Air India crew, including Senior Captain Raja Chouhan, First Officer Pratik Sharma, Sandeep Brar and Captain Swati Raval for their service towards fellow citizens.
Air India special flight crew. Source: Supplied
'Mama can't hug you'
Normally when Swati returns home after a flight, she greets her kids by hugging them, but this time the reunion with her children was different as she had to self-isolate for 14 days first.
“When my son ran towards me to hug me as I entered the home, I had to stop him and tell him, Mama can’t hug you. My little daughter didn’t know for the first two days that I was home."
Once she knew that I was in the other room, she waddled towards me, but I had to ask my husband to take her away from me. She screamed and cried, which broke my heart.
"For the next 14 days I could not hug my kids, but after completing the isolation, I held them in my arms and felt the same what the repatriated passengers must have felt after reuniting with their loved ones,” she said.
Pilot Swati Raval with her daughter. Source: Supplied
Family’s support and encouragement
Swati thanks her husband and parents for being supportive saying she could only go on the rescue mission because of the support of her husband Ajit Kumar.
Achieving the remarkable feat in her career as a Commander for Air India, Swati also thanks her father, S.D. Raval, and mother Hansa Raval for encouraging her to fulfil her dream of becoming a pilot.
She joined the Indian government-owned airline in January 2004 and was promoted as a commander in February 2013.
“This flight will hold a special place in my heart throughout my life as it brought fellow citizens back home safe,” she said.
