AHMEDABAD, India – In a devastating blow to global aviation, more than 200 lives were lost when an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed just minutes after take-off from Ahmedabad, en route to London’s Gatwick Airport. The aircraft, carrying 242 individuals, went down in a residential area, striking a doctors’ hostel at the state-run B.J. Medical College during the busy lunch hour.
According to city police chief G.S. Malik, 204 bodies have been recovered, with no survivors reported. Authorities say the final death toll could rise as rescue operations continue. The tragedy marks the first-ever fatal crash involving a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, a modern aircraft that entered commercial service in 2011.
“This is a heartbreaking day for the nation and for aviation,” Malik told reporters at the scene. “The wreckage is extensive, and sadly, we believe the death toll includes both passengers and medical students on the ground.”
Crash Details and Rescue Efforts
Flight AI171 departed from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at 1:39 p.m. local time. Within minutes, the aircraft issued a distress “Mayday” signal. Shortly thereafter, communication ceased, and the plane disappeared from radar. Witnesses reported a massive fireball and dense smoke billowing from the crash site.
Aviation tracking service Flightradar24 confirmed that the last signal was received seconds after takeoff. Video footage showed debris engulfed in flames and the plane’s tail lodged atop the hostel building. One concerning detail observed in preliminary footage, according to U.S. aviation safety expert Anthony Brickhouse, was that the landing gear appeared to be down at a stage when it should have been retracted.
Emergency services rushed to the scene. The Indian government has mobilized all available resources, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi directing full support for rescue and recovery efforts. The Prime Minister, whose home state is Gujarat, expressed his grief on X, calling the incident “heartbreaking beyond words.”
Passenger Manifest and Global Response
Air India confirmed that among the 242 onboard were 217 adults, 11 children, and two infants. Nationalities included 169 Indians, 53 Britons, seven Portuguese citizens, and one Canadian. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the crash as “devastating,” while King Charles issued a rare statement expressing his and Queen Camilla’s profound shock at the events.
“The tragedy in Ahmedabad has stunned and saddened us,” the monarch said. “We send our heartfelt condolences to the families who have lost loved ones.”
Grief and Trauma on the Ground
The site of the crash – a medical college hostel – added another layer of heartbreak. According to CNN-News18, the plane struck the dining hall of the B.J. Medical College hostel, killing many medical students. Eyewitnesses described scenes of chaos and panic. Ramila, the mother of a student, shared with ANI that her son narrowly survived by jumping from a second-floor window.
Poonam Patel, waiting outside Ahmedabad’s government hospital, spoke tearfully of her sister-in-law, a passenger on the flight. “Within an hour of her boarding, we got the news,” she said. “We are in shock.”
DNA samples are now being collected from families to assist in the identification of victims, according to Dhananjay Dwivedi, Gujarat’s health secretary.
Industry and Government Response
This disaster comes at a time when India’s aviation sector – the third largest in the world – is undergoing rapid expansion. It’s also the first major air disaster for Air India since its 2020 crash in Kozhikode, which claimed 21 lives. Boeing, which saw its shares drop 6.8% in pre-market trading following the news, stated it is gathering information and cooperating fully with Indian authorities.
Engine manufacturer GE Aerospace has dispatched a team to analyze the aircraft’s data recorders.
Air India, recently privatized and now operated by the Tata Group, merged with Vistara earlier this year. The group’s chairman, Gautam Adani, whose company operates Ahmedabad Airport, expressed deep sorrow and pledged support to grieving families and authorities on the ground.
An Unprecedented Loss
With more than 200 confirmed dead and the crash marking the deadliest aviation accident in the world in the last 10 years, today’s tragedy has shaken both the aviation industry and the public worldwide. As investigations continue and mourning begins, the focus now turns to uncovering the technical failures or human errors that may have led to this horrific event.
A formal investigation by India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is underway, with assistance expected from global regulators, Boeing, and international aviation safety bodies.
The full impact of this tragedy will unfold in the coming days, but for now, India and the world are united in mourning the immense loss of life and seeking answers behind one of the darkest days in recent aviation history.
