In a catastrophic aviation disaster, an Air India flight bound for London crashed near Ahmedabad airport on Thursday afternoon, claiming the lives of more than 200 people, including five medical students. The aircraft, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, was carrying 232 passengers and 10 crew members when it crashed at 1:38 PM, just minutes after taking off at 1:17 PM.
The flight had a diverse passenger list including 169 Indian nationals, 53 British, 7 Portuguese, and 1 Canadian. The plane reportedly struggled to gain altitude, with videos showing it losing lift and crashing in flames near Dharpur, close to the Meghaninagar area. Emergency services, including the fire brigade and medical teams, were immediately rushed to the site.
The crash also had a devastating impact on the BJ Medical College community, where the plane hit a student hostel, killing four undergraduate students and one postgraduate resident, and injuring others.
According to aviation experts, initial footage and analysis suggest that the aircraft experienced engine thrust failure shortly after takeoff. Though a Mayday call was issued, the plane failed to gain sufficient speed and altitude, eventually descending with its landing gear still down, and crashing in a fireball. Experts noted the aircraft was only reaching 174 knots, far below the necessary speed for a stable climb-out.
Former senior pilot Captain Saurabh Bhatnagar told NDTV, “The take-off was perfect, but shortly after, the plane began descending. Such a failure likely indicates either engine power loss or loss of lift — a full investigation will determine the cause.”
In response, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, expressing deep grief, said, “The tragedy in Ahmedabad has stunned and saddened us. It is heartbreaking beyond words. My thoughts are with everyone affected by it.” He has directed Home Minister Amit Shah and Civil Aviation Minister Rammohan Naidu to rush to Ahmedabad and oversee relief operations.
A dedicated emergency hotline — 1800 5691 444 — has been set up by Air India to assist families of the victims and provide updates.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation, and a formal probe by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is expected to begin shortly.
