265 dead in Air India crash, 1 survivor; forensics team at accident site

In one of the most lethal aviation catastrophes in recent times, a minimum of 265 individuals lost their lives when an Air India flight headed to London went down shortly after departing from Ahmedabad airport on Thursday afternoon.

The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed directly into a medical college hostel, igniting a large fire and resulting in just one survivor out of the 242 onboard. On Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached Ahmedabad to assess the crash location and tour the Civil Hospital, where the wounded are being treated. A forensic team is present at the accident site as well.

The unfortunate Flight AI171 was en route to Gatwick Airport in London when it crashed in the heavily populated residential zone of Meghaninagar, only minutes after takeoff. Video taken by a witness displayed the plane descending as it attempted to rise before bursting into flames on impact. Among the 230 passengers on board, there were 169 Indians, 53 Britons, 7 Portuguese, a Canadian, and 12 crew members. Among the deceased was former Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani. Only one person survived — Vishwaskumar Ramesh, a traveler in seat 11A. He is undergoing treatment at the Ahmedabad Civil Hospital.

During lunchtime, the plane collided with the hostel building of a medical college, raising the number of casualties on the ground. A large-scale rescue effort involving the Army, NDRF, CISF, and nearby fire services was initiated.

Rescue personnel reported that temperatures at the accident location soared to 1,000 degrees Celsius because of the detonation of more than 1.25 lakh litres of jet fuel. Union Home Minister Amit Shah stated that it was “impossible to rescue anyone” because of the severity of the fire.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the event as “shocking and tragic” and instructed Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu to manage the assistance efforts. PM Modi arrived in Ahmedabad this morning to assess the local conditions. The Civil Aviation Directorate General reported that the plane issued a Mayday alert just before contact was lost. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau has initiated a formal investigation in accordance with ICAO protocols.

The incident signifies the inaugural accident involving a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, a model that began commercial operations in 2011. Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg offered his condolences and mentioned that a team of technical specialists would be dispatched to support the investigation. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated that the Foreign Secretary is working with Indian officials in the investigation. US President Donald Trump additionally extended assistance to India after the “horrific” plane crash, stating, “We will do anything we can.”

Tata Group, the parent company of Air India, declared a compensation of Rs 1 crore for the families of the deceased, complete medical expense coverage for the injured, and support to restore the affected medical college facilities.