A heartbreaking tragedy struck Ahmedabad, India, on Thursday afternoon, as the London-bound Air India Flight AI171 crashed just minutes after taking off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, killing 241 people on board.
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner, carrying 265 people, plunged into the Meghani area and burst into flames, sending a massive plume of black smoke into the sky.
Citing the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), The Times of India reported the aircraft was carrying 230 passengers, 10 cabin crew members, and two pilots – Captain Sumeet Sabharwal and First Officer Clive Kundar.
Eyewitnesses claimed that the aircraft was flying abnormally low before it plunged into the Meghaninagar area, crashing directly into the residential quarters of doctors at B.J. Medical College and a nearby government school.
The impact caused a powerful explosion, igniting surrounding structures and blanketing the area in thick, black smoke. The plane had been fully fueled for its long-haul international journey, which contributed to the intensity of the post-crash inferno.
Only one passenger miraculously survived the horrific disaster: Ramseh Vishwaskumar, a British national of Indian origin.
“There were dead bodies around me. I got scared. I got up and ran,” Vishwaskumar told CNN, adding that the crash happened just 30 seconds after takeoff.
His brother, seated in another row, did not survive.
Dr. Rajnish Patel of Ahmedabad Civil Hospital said Ramesh’s condition was “not very critical” and may be released in a few days.
Vishwaskumar was seated in 11A, an emergency exit row near the left wing, which is believed to have been key to his survival.
Among those who tragically perished was Dr. Pratik Joshi, who had been living in London for six years and was finally reuniting with his wife and three children to begin a new chapter of their lives abroad.
Just hours before the flight, Joshi shared a smiling selfie aboard the plane – a sad reminder of how uncertain life is, and how we never know when or where our fate may be sealed.
Authorities continue rescue and recovery operations at the crash site, while a formal investigation is underway.
Early findings point to a possible technical failure, though definitive conclusions will follow after a thorough analysis of the aircraft’s black box and further review by the DGCA
