ALBAWABA- In a devastating tragedy, Air India Flight AI-171, a Boeing 787 en route from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, crashed into a residential area in the Meghani Nagar district shortly after takeoff.
Ahmedabad police have confirmed that Air India Flight AI-171, bound for London Gatwick, crashed into a doctors’ hostel just minutes after takeoff. The incident occurred in the Meghani Nagar area, striking a building that houses medical professionals and students.
“Within 2 to 3 minutes of the crash, emergency services reached the site,” a police spokesperson said. “We urge media personnel and the public to cooperate by clearing the roads to establish a green corridor to allow ambulances and rescue teams to pass without obstruction.”
This disaster marks a grim milestone: it is the first-ever fatal crash involving a Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Flight AI-171 was operating a Boeing 787-8, a wide-body, long-haul aircraft introduced in 2009, with over 1,000 units in service globally.
The aircraft, carrying 244 people—232 passengers and 12 crew—went down after issuing a distress Mayday call, suggesting a mechanical or operational failure.
The crash site included the BJ Medical College undergraduate hostel mess, where many MBBS students were present at the time.
Eyewitnesses described scenes of chaos and heartbreak, with several student fatalities confirmed, though local authorities are still assessing the exact death toll.
The Civil Aviation Authority of India has launched a full investigation into the incident. Emergency services remain at the scene, and rescue operations are ongoing.
“This is one of the darkest days in Ahmedabad’s history,” said a local official. “We mourn the loss of so many young lives.”
