A London-bound Air India Dreamliner carrying 242 people crashed into a residential complex just minutes after takeoff from Ahmedabad on Thursday, killing more than 100 and sparking a fiery scene of chaos, rescue and national mourning.
The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, Flight 171, lifted off from runway 23 at 1:39 p.m. local time and issued a distress "Mayday" call seconds later before disappearing from radar. Eyewitness footage captured the plane banking awkwardly over rooftops before a massive fireball erupted, sending thick black smoke spiraling over the city.
The aircraft slammed into a hostel building belonging to the B.J. Medical College, setting part of the dormitory ablaze. Police said most of the recovered bodies were charred beyond recognition. Among the victims were several medical students, authorities confirmed.
“It crashed on top of the dining area,” a senior officer told reporters. “We’ve cleared 70% to 80% of the site.”
The toll included 217 adults, 11 children and two infants, according to an airline source. Air India confirmed the nationalities: 169 Indians, 53 Britons, seven Portuguese and one Canadian. The crash site was littered with burning debris and fragments of the aircraft’s fuselage, including its tail section lodged atop the hostel roof.
Relatives of passengers flooded Ahmedabad’s government hospital. “My sister-in-law was flying to London,” said Poonam Patel. “An hour later, I heard the plane had gone down.”
Ramila, whose son attends the medical college, described how he survived by leaping from the second floor. “He’s injured, but alive,” she said.
This was the first fatal crash involving a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, which entered commercial service in 2011. The downed aircraft was delivered to Air India in 2014.
Aviation consultant Anthony Brickhouse said video footage raised questions. “The landing gear appeared down during ascent – not standard,” he said.
Air India, in a brief statement on X, said: “We are ascertaining details and will share further updates. The injured are being taken to nearby hospitals.”
The crash marks India’s deadliest aviation disaster since 2020, when an Air India Express flight skidded off a tabletop runway in Kozhikode, killing 21.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whose home state is Gujarat, called the tragedy “heartbreaking beyond words.”
The Indian aviation minister confirmed Modi had ordered all emergency resources deployed. Airport operations were suspended for hours but later resumed on a limited basis, said Adani Group, which operates Ahmedabad Airport.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he was being kept “closely informed,” while King Charles was also receiving updates. The U.K. Foreign Office said it was working with Indian authorities.
Boeing said it was gathering more information. Shares of the U.S. aircraft maker dropped nearly 7% in pre-market trading. GE Aerospace, which supplies engines for the Dreamliner, said a team was being dispatched to analyze cockpit data.
Air India was state-run until 2022, when it was taken over by the Tata Group. The airline merged with Vistara, a joint venture with Singapore Airlines, earlier this year.
