A routine international flight turned into a devastating tragedy yesterday when Air India Flight AI‑171, a Boeing 787‑8 Dreamliner departing from Ahmedabad, crashed into a residential block and medical college hostel just moments after taking off for London Gatwick, resulting in the loss of 265 lives—including those on board and civilians on the ground.
Tragedy at Takeoff
Eyewitnesses described a horrific scene as the aircraft, carrying 230 passengers and 12 crew members, rose to merely 30 seconds into its ascent before it suddenly plummeted into the hostel building associated with B.J. Medical College in Meghani Nagar. The impact ignited a fierce fire, scattering debris across the area and leaving bodies and wreckage strewn in its wake.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Kanan Desai confirmed that 265 bodies had been recovered; this includes 241 from the aircraft and at least 24 victims on the ground. He cautioned that the final count remains provisional, pending further DNA testing to verify identities.
Sole Survivor Identified
Remarkably, British-Indian national Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, seated near an emergency exit, walked away from the calamity—the only survivor. Hospital interviews relayed his harrowing account: “Thirty seconds after take‑off, there was a loud noise and then the plane crashed. It all happened so quickly… I got up, ran, bodies everywhere,” he told the Hindustan Times. His brother, Ajay, was also aboard but did not survive.
Victims and Ground Damage
The passenger manifest included individuals of at least four nationalities: 169 Indian citizens, 53 British, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian. Additionally, dozens of local residents and medical students housed in the hostel perished when the plane’s tail section embedded itself into the building’s upper floors. Victims remain unrecognizable, prompting an extensive DNA identification effort.
High-profile casualties included former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani. National grief has simmered, mirroring the intensity of the disaster.
Search, Rescue, and Relief Operations
Within an hour, fire brigades and rescue units from the Indian Army, CRPF, NDRF, and local municipal forces had extinguished the flames and mobilized large-scale recovery operations. More than 290 body bags were deployed, with teams working at a rapid pace.
Federal and state authorities—led by Home Minister Amit Shah and Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel—alongside PM Narendra Modi, who called the disaster “heartbreaking beyond words,” responded swiftly, visiting the site on June 13.
Crash Investigation Underway
A comprehensive investigation has been launched, with the Indian Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau taking the lead, aided by experts from the UK’s AAIB, the US National Transportation Safety Board, and Boeing itself. The recovered black boxes will play a central role in determining the cause.
Global Response and Compensation Efforts
Global leaders and organizations have voiced condolences. The UK government activated crisis teams to assist victims’ families. Air India, alongside parent conglomerate Tata Group, pledged financial support and covered medical bills for survivors. Boeing’s CEO confirmed the company is cooperating fully with the inquiry. Preliminary reports indicate the aircraft’s landing gear remained extended and flaps deployed during takeoff—an uncommon configuration that may become a key focus of the probe.
What Comes Next
- Identification continues via DNA analysis, expected to finalize the official death toll.
- Technical analysis of flight data recorders will explore mechanical performance and aircraft behaviour.
- Regulatory oversight is anticipated, with possible grounding of the entire 787 fleet in India until safety is assured.
- Compensation and rehabilitation efforts for the injured and affected families remain underway.
