Over 240 dead as Air India plane crashes into Ahmedabad college hostel

AHMEDABAD, India. A London-bound Air India Dreamliner crashed into a medical college hostel in Ahmedabad shortly after takeoff on Thursday, killing more than 240 people in what authorities are calling the world’s deadliest air disaster in a decade.

The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, Flight AI171, was carrying 242 passengers and crew when it crashed during the lunch hour, sending debris into the surrounding area and igniting a massive blaze. The sole survivor, identified as 40-year-old British national Vishwas Kumar Ramesh, is currently being treated at a hospital. He was seated next to an emergency exit in seat 11A.

“It all happened so quickly,” Ramesh told Hindustan Times from his hospital bed. “When I got up, there were bodies all around me. Someone grabbed hold of me and put me in an ambulance.” He said his brother Ajay was also on the flight and is currently missing.

The cause of the crash is under investigation. Authorities said the aircraft made a Mayday call at 1:39 p.m. local time, moments after takeoff, but communication was lost soon after. Air traffic control confirmed that the aircraft had just departed from Ahmedabad Airport and was bound for Gatwick Airport, located south of London.

Ahmedabad police chief G.S. Malik stated that the dead included passengers and people on the ground. Among the victims was Vijay Rupani, former chief minister of Gujarat. Authorities have requested DNA samples from families to assist in identifying the victims.

According to Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu, a high-level committee has been formed to probe the crash. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau is leading the official inquiry.

CCTV footage captured the aircraft flying over residential buildings before disappearing behind rooftops, followed by a massive fireball. Witnesses described scenes of panic and devastation.

“My sister-in-law was on that flight,” said Poonam Patel, waiting at a government hospital. “Within an hour, we got news of the crash.”

One mother recounted her son escaping from the hostel after the crash. “He jumped from the second floor and was injured, but he’s alive,” said Ramila.

The aircraft’s landing gear was down during the crash, an unusual detail noted by U.S. aerospace safety consultant Anthony Brickhouse. “If you didn’t know better, it looked like the plane was preparing to land,” he said.

Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg said the company was cooperating with Indian authorities and offering full support. Shares of Boeing fell 5% following the incident.

Air India confirmed that the aircraft was delivered in 2014 and had 217 adults, 11 children, and two infants on board. Among the passengers were 169 Indian nationals, 53 Britons, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian.

The crash is the first involving the Dreamliner, a wide-body aircraft that began commercial service in 2011. The last fatal air crash in India occurred in 2020 when an Air India Express jet overshot a runway in Kerala, killing 21.

Flight operations at Ahmedabad Airport, operated by Adani Group, were temporarily suspended but have since resumed on a limited basis.

Tributes poured in from global leaders. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who hails from Gujarat, called the crash “heartbreaking beyond words.” British Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the images “devastating,” while King Charles was reportedly being kept updated. U.S. President Donald Trump described the crash as “terrible.”

Britain’s Foreign Office said it was working closely with Indian authorities to support those affected. GE Aerospace and the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration are also assisting in the investigation.