The catastrophic plane crash occurred on the afternoon of June 12 in Ahmedabad city, Gujarat state (India), when an Air India flight crashed right after takeoff and crashed straight into the dormitory of BJ Medical College (BJMC).
The plane was carrying 242 passengers and crew members. Ahmedabad city police chief said that no one appeared to have survived the plane crash.
The tragedy also killed at least 5 medical students and injured dozens of others in the dormitory.
According to initial information, among the deceased victims were 4 university students and 1 resident doctor. About 40 students and young doctors were injured, of which at least 1 case was in critical condition.
The plane in distress was a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, registration number AI171, of Air India, en route from Ahmedabad to Gatwick Airport ( London, UK).
The flight took off at 1:38 p.m. from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport but encountered a technical problem at a very low altitude, only about 190m, did not achieve the necessary lifting force and crashed just a few minutes after leaving the ground.
Images at the scene showed a terrifying scene of devastation: The walls of the dormitory were destroyed, part of the fuselage was deeply housed in the student dining area. The plates with whole rice were lying around on the tables, with broken cups of water on the floor - showing that the accident happened while many students were having lunch.
A doctor who witnessed the incident firsthand, Dr. Shyam Govind, shared with NDTV: A young doctor and I were both injured. About 30 to 40 other medical students were also injured, of which 1-2 were very seriously injured".
The Civil Aviation Authority of India (DGCA) said that Sumeet Sabharwal had sent a Mayday emergency signal to the air traffic control station immediately before the complete loss of contact. This is an international signal that warns of maximum danger, used when human life is seriously endangered.
The All India Federation of Physicians (FAima) posted on social network X: We were shocked to hear that an Air India plane crashed in Ahmedabad. He was even more shocked when he heard that the plane crashed into a BJMC dormitory, injuring many medical students. We are closely monitoring the situation and are ready to support.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his deep condolences for this tragic incident. He wrote on X: The tragedy in Ahmedabad makes us dizzy and sad. This is a pain that cannot be expressed in words. I am in close contact with Ministers and authorities to support those affected.
Currently, rescue, medical and investigation forces are present at the scene to handle the consequences, treat the injured and clarify the cause of the accident. This is considered one of the most disastrous air crashes in India in many years.
