A catastrophic plane crash involving an Air India flight has claimed dozens of lives after the aircraft plunged into a doctors’ hostel attached to BJ Medical College in Ahmedabad, India.
Afternoon of Routine Turns to Horror
On a balmy Thursday afternoon, the canteen at BJ Medical College’s residential hostel was packed with students, doctors, and families. By 13:39 local time, at least 35 people were inside, many enjoying lunch amid laughter, casual chat, and academic talk.
That calm was shattered by the sudden roar of approaching jet engines—followed by an explosion.
Just seconds earlier, Flight AI171, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner bound for London with 242 people on board, had taken off from Ahmedabad airport, located just 1.5km away. Within moments of take-off, a mayday call was issued, and the plane crashed into the hostel canteen, engulfing the area in flames and debris.
Witnesses Describe Devastation and Panic
Eyewitnesses, including students and nearby medical staff, described scenes of terror.
“We heard a deafening sound—at first we thought it was thunder, but it was 40°C and dry,” said a doctor at the nearby kidney sciences department. Moments later, someone screamed: “A plane has crashed into our building.”
Students fled or jumped from second and third floors to escape. For others, it was too late.
Brothers Prince and Krish Patni, both local residents, rushed toward the crash zone but were forced back by the heat and flames.
“We saw what looked like part of a wing,” said Prince, 18. “There was smoke and debris everywhere.”
Once inside, the brothers began clearing gas cylinders to prevent further explosions. What they saw next was harrowing: injured victims, many still clutching food, silent and in shock.
“They didn’t even get a chance to react,” said another doctor.
Lives Lost in an Instant
Rescue efforts continued into the night. Officials are still working to identify the dead, with many bodies burned beyond recognition.
Dr Minakshi Parikh, dean of BJ Medical College and Civil Hospital, confirmed eight deaths so far: four students and four family members. However, the true toll remains uncertain.
“We have to rely on DNA to identify some of the bodies,” Parikh said.
Among those missing is the mother of kitchen worker Ravi Thakur, who had stepped out to deliver lunch boxes moments before the crash.
“When I returned, there was just chaos,” Ravi said. “I still can’t find her.”
Survivors Recall Split-Second Horror
A second-year student who survived recalled sitting with friends when the crash occurred.
“There was a bang, then we were under rubble. Fire and smoke were inches from our faces,” he said from a hospital bed.
He is undergoing treatment for serious chest wounds. He doesn’t yet know the fate of his friends.
Multiple witnesses say the plane’s wing was the first to pierce the roof, causing the most severe destruction in that area.
Aftermath: Grief, Questions, and Investigation
Photos show the canteen before and after the crash—once a lively mess hall, now a skeleton of charred concrete and twisted metal.
Teachers and doctors are still struggling to process the tragedy.
“These were my students. I taught them, I knew them,” said a senior professor. “Right now, the priority is caring for the injured.”
Plane Crash Timeline
- 13:38 IST – Flight AI171 takes off from Ahmedabad airport.
- 13:39 IST – The plane crashes into the doctors’ hostel at BJ Medical College.
- 13:45 IST onwards – Locals, firefighters, and rescue teams rush to the scene.
- Evening – Identification and recovery operations continue; rescue efforts hampered by intense heat and wreckage.
What Happens Next?
Authorities have launched an investigation into the crash, with a focus on technical failure. Meanwhile, grieving families, students, and staff are left to piece together their lives.
“We were just about to play cricket,” Krish Patni recalled. “Now we’re carrying bodies.”
For many at BJ Medical College, Thursday was a turning point—from routine to catastrophe in seconds.