Air India Flight to London Crashes After Takeoff in Ahmedabad, 249 Feared Dead
An Air India passenger flight bound for London Gatwick Airport crashed shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on Thursday, killing 241 passengers and crew members on board. Tragically, eight more lives were lost on the ground, including four medical students, as the plane collided with a residential building used as a doctors’ hostel.
The aircraft, Flight AI171, took off at 13:39 local time (08:09 GMT) and was expected to reach London by 18:25 BST. However, the plane lost altitude rapidly and crashed in Meghani Nagar, a densely populated area in Ahmedabad. According to FlightRadar24, the plane lost signal less than a minute after takeoff, last recorded at an altitude of just 625ft (190m). A mayday call was issued, but no further communication followed.
Authorities have confirmed that only one passenger, a British national, survived the crash.
On the ground, the plane struck a building housing medical students at the Byramjee Jeejeebhoy Medical College and Civil Hospital. The crash occurred during the lunch break, with debris tearing through the dining hall. Images from the scene show plates left behind mid-meal and a large hole in the wall from the impact.
Dr. Minakshi Parikh, dean of BJ Medical College, reported that four medical students and four relatives of hospital staff were among the deceased. “We are currently relying on DNA testing to identify the victims,” Dr. Parikh said, as hundreds of family members gathered at the hospital awaiting confirmation.
Family members have been urged to submit DNA samples, and authorities have stated that an official death toll will be released only after the matching process is completed.
This incident has sent shockwaves across the nation and globally, raising questions about aviation safety protocols. Multiple nationalities were on board, including Indian, British, Portuguese, and Canadian citizens, as investigations continue into the cause of this devastating crash.
