The Air India flight AI171 crash in Ahmedabad has tragically claimed 274 lives, making it the worst single-aircraft disaster in Indian aviation history. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, en route to London Gatwick, crashed shortly after takeoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on Thursday. The accident not only resulted in the deaths of 241 passengers and crew but also caused the loss of 33 lives on the ground, primarily in the vicinity of the BJ Medical College campus.
The aircraft, carrying 230 passengers, 10 cabin crew members, and 2 pilots, had 169 Indian nationals, 53 Britons, seven Portuguese citizens, and one Canadian citizen. Among the passengers was former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani. The flight took off at 13:39 local time but lost radar contact soon after, following a mayday call from the cockpit. The last recorded altitude of the plane was 625 feet.
The crash site was located in a densely populated area of Ahmedabad, with the plane hitting a hostel for trainee doctors at the Byramjee Jeejeebhoy Medical College and Civil Hospital. The impact was devastating, with wreckage spread over a 200-meter radius. The additional fatalities beyond the initially reported passenger and crew count suggest that the victims were likely doctors, medical students, their family members, and other workers present on the college campus and in the Meghani Nagar neighborhood.
One passenger, Vishwashkumar Ramesh, a British national, miraculously survived the crash. He was seated in seat 11A, near the front of the plane, and managed to escape from the wreckage. He is currently receiving treatment in a hospital.
Immediately following the crash, rescue operations were initiated, and emergency workers began the grim task of recovering bodies from the debris. Identifying the victims has been a challenge, as many bodies were charred beyond recognition. Authorities have set up DNA testing facilities to help relatives identify their loved ones.
India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is leading the investigation into the cause of the crash. A team of US investigators led by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is assisting. Preliminary investigations are underway, focusing on various factors that could have contributed to the accident, including engine failure and potential issues with the plane's flaps. Aviation experts have also speculated about the possibility of a rare double engine failure. The recovery of the flight's black box from the college's mess rooftop is expected to provide critical data for the investigation.
The crash has prompted widespread শোক and condolences. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his sorrow, and the Tata Group, which owns Air India, announced ₹1 crore compensation for each victim's family. Relief flights from Mumbai and New Delhi have been arranged for the next of kin of passengers and Air India staff.
