Air India flight (AI-171) crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, killing at least 120 people and injuring dozens more. The aircraft collided with the undergraduate hostel building of B.J. Medical College, located in a densely populated area of Meghani Nagar.
The Boeing jet was carrying 242 people, including 230 passengers and 12 crew members. Among the passengers were 169 Indians, 53 British, 7 Portuguese, and 1 Canadian. The plane issued a Mayday call moments after takeoff before disappearing from radar.
Eyewitnesses reported a loud explosion and saw thick black smoke rising from the crash site. Emergency teams, including police, fire brigade, and medical personnel, reached the area swiftly. At least 30 bodies have been recovered, while rescue operations continue amid fears that more are trapped under the debris.
The flight was commanded by Captain Samyat Sabharwal, an experienced pilot with over 8,200 flight hours, alongside First Officer Clive Kinder, who had over 1,100 hours of flight experience.
The crash caused significant damage to the hostel’s mess hall, where students were present at the time. Multiple medical students sustained injuries, though the exact number remains unconfirmed.
Officials from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) are investigating the cause of the crash. The Gujarat state government has yet to release a formal statement on the number of student casualties.
The tragedy has shocked the nation, with condolences pouring in from across India and abroad. Prime Ministerial and ministerial responses are awaited as the rescue mission continues
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