5 die as Flight AI171 crashes into medical students’ hostel
Tragedy struck on Thursday when an Air India flight crashed into a hostel of BJ Medical College in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, killing at least five people, including four undergraduate medical students and one postgraduate resident.
Many others were injured in the incident.
The aircraft involved was an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, operating as Flight AI171 from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick.
The plane had 230 passengers and 12 crew members on board – totalling 242 people.
At approximately 1:38 PM IST , just minutes after taking off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport (SVPIA) , the aircraft failed to gain altitude and crashed into the undergraduate hostel mess hall of BJ Medical College in Meghaninagar area.
According to data from FlightRadar24, the plane’s signal was lost at an altitude of 825 feet.
Aviation expert Sanjay Lazar told NDTV that the aircraft suffered a “catastrophic failure to achieve lift” at a critically low altitude, leaving no time for corrective action.
The plane’s wreckage pierced the hostel’s dining hall, leaving debris embedded in the walls.–X/FAIMA
Eyewitnesses and photographs from the scene show the devastating impact: parts of the wreckage embedded in the walls of the dining hall, debris scattered across tables still holding plates of uneaten food. The crash occurred during lunchtime, when many students were present inside the canteen.
Images shared by the Federation of All India Medical Associations (FAIMA) show a large section of the aircraft lodged inside the hostel building. In a statement on X (formerly Twitter), FAIMA said: “We are deeply shocked about the news of the Air India plane crashing in Ahmedabad. The tragedy has become even more heart-breaking knowing it hit BJMC hostel and injured many MBBS students. We are closely monitoring the situation and ready to assist.”
The crash marks the first-ever accident involving a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner. The aircraft was fully fuelled for its long-haul international flight when it went down shortly after take-off, erupting into a massive fireball.
Rescue operations are underway, with emergency services rushing victims to nearby hospitals. Authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the crash.
