Staff Writer: Sweata Maiti
Last Updated: June 13, 2025, 3:55:00 PM IST
| Synopsis: A Boeing 787 Dreamliner operating Air India Flight AI 171 from Ahmedabad to London crashed moments after take-off on June 12, 2025, impacting a hostel at B.J. Medical College. At least 265 people died—including former Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani and five medical students—with only one survivor. Authorities have launched a high-profile investigation with international cooperation. |
AHMEDABAD | A devastating Air India flight crash unfolded on Thursday afternoon when a Boeing 787 Dreamliner bound for London departed from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport and plunged into the residential hostel complex of B.J. Medical College just 34 seconds later.
The aircraft, carrying 242 people (230 passengers and 12 crew), left a trail of destruction across multiple hostel buildings, triggering a fierce blaze fueled by a full tank of jet fuel. Emergency services reported at least 265 fatalities, including passengers and individuals on the ground. Notable among the deceased were former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and five MBBS students. More than 60 medical students were injured.
Astonishingly, one British passenger, Vishwash Kumar Ramesh—seated in an emergency exit row—survived the crash. He was found walking amidst the wreckage and is now receiving treatment in hospital.
Search and rescue teams continue their efforts amid immense devastation. Authorities have recovered one of the aircraft’s black boxes and launched a joint investigation involving India’s AAIB, Boeing, and U.S. NTSB officials. The Tata Group has pledged ₹1 crore in compensation to each victim’s family, while the airport resumed limited operations following a temporary closure.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alongside Home Minister Amit Shah and other senior officials, visited the crash site to oversee relief operations and express solidarity.
This tragic event marks India’s most devastating air accident in decades and the first-ever fatal crash involving a Boeing 787, prompting urgent scrutiny of aviation safety protocols and aircraft configuration protocols during take-off.