Listen to your Inner Voice ⚠️🧏🏻♀️🚨
Robina van Lanschot is known as the sole survivor of the March 27, 1977 Tenerife airport disaster.
Van Lanschot, a Dutch tourist guide, was working on a flight that was diverted to Los Rodeos Airport in Tenerife because of a bomb threat. Van Lanschot lived on Tenerife, an island in Spain, with her boyfriend so technically she was home. However, aviation laws state passengers must reboard their original flights.
Soon the airport re-opened, and as van Lanschot’s plane prepared to take off to complete its journey, she decided NOT to reboard her flight. She wanted to see her boyfriend and it was impractical to leave just to return to Tenerife the next day. That decision made her the only person from her travel group to survive.
"No," Robina decided. She wouldn't spend another night away from her boyfriend. She simply left her ticket on the counter and walked out of the airport, disregarding any consequences.
Whether she was saved by love or her wits, that decision made her the sole survivor on the KLM flight. Moments later two Boeing 747 passenger jets collided on the runway at Los Rodeos Airport (now Tenerife North–Ciudad de La Laguna Airport). The impact and the resulting fire killed all 248 people on board the KLM plane (van Lanschot’s flight) and 335 of the 396 people on board the Pan Am plane, with only 61 survivors in the front section of the latter aircraft. With a total of 583 fatalities, the disaster is the deadliest accident in aviation history.
I’ve been thinking a lot about Robina van Lanschot's incredible story recently, and it truly makes you ponder the mysterious power of intuition and the choices we make. The original article highlights her decision not to reboard her flight before the devastating 1977 Tenerife airport disaster, a choice that undeniably saved her life. But beyond the facts, I find myself deeply fascinated by the human element of her experience. Imagine the internal conflict she must have faced. On one hand, there were aviation rules, the expectation to follow protocol and complete her journey. On the other, a powerful, personal desire to be with her boyfriend, combined with what the story suggests was a gut feeling, an 'inner voice' telling her to stay. How many times do we override these subtle nudges because they seem illogical or inconvenient? Robina didn't. She placed her personal connection and perhaps an inexplicable sense of unease above regulation, and in doing so, she sidestepped one of history's deadliest aviation accidents. This isn't just a tale of luck; it feels like a profound testament to listening to oneself. The image of her simply leaving her ticket on the counter, defying convention, is so striking. It makes you wonder: what gave her that conviction? Was it pure love, an urgent premonition, or a combination of both? Her specific survival from the Tenerife airport disaster by not reboarding her flight is so unique, it almost feels like a cinematic plot device, yet it’s intensely real. I can only begin to imagine the weight of being the sole survivor. While her decision was a gift, it must have come with an immense emotional burden. The knowledge that 248 people on her original flight perished, while she, by a seemingly simple act of defiance, was spared. Did she experience survivor's guilt? Did her life after that day take on a different meaning, imbued with a heightened appreciation for every moment? These are the questions that linger for me, adding layers to her already compelling story. Robina van Lanschot's experience serves as a powerful reminder about the unpredictable nature of life and the often overlooked wisdom of our own instincts. In a world that often encourages us to follow the path of least resistance or adhere strictly to rules, her story champions the courage to deviate when something deep inside signals otherwise. It encourages me to pay closer attention to my own gut feelings, those quiet whispers that might be trying to guide me. Her survival isn't just a historical footnote; it’s a deeply personal narrative about human choice, intuition, and the fragile line between fate and free will. It makes me reflect on my own life – how often do I truly listen to my own ‘inner voice’?


This woman heard that quite small voice and obeyed