• Flight was bound for London’s Gatwick Airport
• Police say plane crashed on doctors’ hostel
• More than 200 dead, police say
• First fatal crash of Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner

Ahmedabad, India – More than 200 people were killed when an Air India flight bound for London crashed minutes after takeoff from Ahmedabad on Thursday, marking the deadliest aviation disaster in a decade. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, carrying 242 passengers and crew, plunged into a medical college hostel in a residential area, leaving no survivors reported so far.

Catastrophic Crash After Takeoff

The flight, AI-171, departed Ahmedabad Airport at 1:39 p.m. local time (0809 GMT) but issued a “Mayday” distress call shortly after takeoff before losing contact. Witnesses reported seeing the plane engulfed in flames before it slammed into the B.J. Medical College hostel during lunch hour, killing medical students and staff on the ground.

Key Details:

• No survivors found yet – Police confirm 204 bodies recovered, with DNA tests underway to identify victims.

• Passenger breakdown – 169 Indians, 53 Britons, 7 Portuguese, and 1 Canadian were on board, including 11 children and 2 infants.

• Dreamliner’s first fatal crash – The Boeing 787-8, delivered to Air India in 2014, had no prior crash record since its 2011 debut.

Eyewitnesses Describe Horror

“My son was in the hostel when the plane crashed. He jumped from the second floor and survived with injuries,” said Ramila, a mother of a medical student.

Videos showed the aircraft’s tail lodged atop the building, with debris and flames spreading across the crash site. Firefighters and rescue teams worked frantically to recover bodies amid thick black smoke.

Global Reactions & Investigation

• Boeing shares plummeted 6.8% as aviation experts raised concerns over the landing gear being deployed mid-flight, an unusual occurrence.

• UK & India collaborate – British PM Keir Starmer called the images “devastating,” while King Charles expressed shock over the tragedy.

• Engine maker GE Aerospace is sending a team to analyze cockpit data.

Modi’s Home State in Mourning

Ahmedabad, the largest city in PM Narendra Modi’s home state of Gujarat, suspended flights temporarily. Modi called the incident “heartbreaking beyond words,” ordering full support for rescue efforts.

India’s Aviation Safety Under Scrutiny

This marks India’s deadliest crash since 2020, when an Air India Express Boeing-737 overshot a runway in Kozhikode, killing 21. Air India, now owned by Tata Group after its 2022 privatization, faces renewed scrutiny over safety protocols.

Ongoing Updates:

• Ahmedabad Airport has resumed limited operations.

• Families await identification as forensic teams collect DNA samples.