KOCHI: As the country mourns the victims of the recent Ahmedabad air crash, former Supreme Court Judge Cyriac Joseph has shared a deeply personal memory of how he narrowly escaped a deadly air tragedy 45 years ago.

In October 1979, a Western Airways flight from Los Angeles to Mexico City crashed, killing all 207 passengers and crew on board. Justice Joseph, then a 32-year-old lawyer from Kochi, was scheduled to be on that very flight. A delay in his connecting flight from Singapore saved his life.

“I was travelling from Kochi to attend the Federal Assembly of Pax Romana in Mexico City, representing India as the Secretary General of the Newman Association of India,” he said.

“Seven of us from Asia were flying together. Our flight from Singapore to Los Angeles was delayed, and we missed the connection to Mexico City. That delay saved us.”

Among the group was a delegate from Hong Kong who had planned to travel with the same team. He advanced his travel to spend a few days with his brother in the United States. Though he had initially booked a different flight to Mexico City from LA, he cancelled it to join the rest of the Asian team on the Western Airways flight. Tragically, he boarded the ill-fated plane and perished, while the rest of the team missed the flight and escaped the crash.

“The Ahmedabad crash brought back vivid memories of the Divine Mercy I received that day,” Justice Joseph said. “It was a life spared by fate, and I remain ever grateful.”

He later went on to become a judge of the Kerala High Court and the Supreme Court of India, carrying with him the lasting memory of a narrow escape that shaped his journey forward.