IC 814 hijack: Survivor couple's daughter now training to be pilot
The infamous hijacking of Indian Airlines Flight IC 814 in 1999 has been revisited recently through Anubhav Sinha's much-talked-about thriller series, IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack. Amid the buzz surrounding the show, a real-life story has emerged about Shivangi Menon, the daughter of Bipin Menon and his wife—survivors from that ill-fated flight. Shivangi is now training to be a pilot with Air India Express. Here's her story.
Shivangi's journey into aviation sparked by parents' experience
Shivangi was not aboard the hijacked flight but her parents were, returning from their honeymoon in Kathmandu when tragedy struck. Her father, Bipin Menon, who now works at SEZ Noida, shared his recollections of that day with ToI. He said that the hijackers were eyeing them at the lounge which made them uncomfortable but they didn't take much note of it then.
'She was in Class 11 when she became interested...'
Bipin revealed that Shivangi started asking about the hijack when she was around five years old. "As she grew up more, she began to ask questions and we would tell her about the hijack. She was in Class 11 when she became interested in the aviation sector, and that was the first time she told us that she wanted to become a pilot," he said.
Shivangi's quest for knowledge and training in anti-hijack operations
Shivangi told News18, "IC 814 hijack was a turnaround moment in the aviation sector in India. Initially, I would ask my parents and then I began to read." She added that she watched a documentary on National Geographic featuring shots of her parents returning from their honeymoon. "I was very inquisitive. Today, we are well-trained in anti-hijack operations. I want to do this for my country," she said.
'I know the captain tried his best...'
Bipin expressed full support for his daughter's career choice, stating, "For me, that my daughter is going into a profession that does not have too many women, is impressive." He also mentioned the existence of many SOPs (standard operating procedures) to deal with a hijack situation. "I know people are saying many things, but I know the captain tried his best and he was right in prioritizing and saving the passengers' lives," he added.
