On Thursday, a tragic accident unfolded at B.J. Medical College in Ahmedabad, India, when a Boeing 787 aircraft, Flight AI171, crashed into the hostel dining hall during lunchtime. The flight had just taken off from a nearby airport minutes before the catastrophic descent that resulted in the deaths of 241 passengers, with only one known survivor. The toll on the ground remains uncertain as investigations into casualties continue.
Witnesses described harrowing scenes following the crash. Rajesh Patel, a local businessman, arrived at the site shortly after the explosion. “The blast was so intense that no one could approach initially,” he recounted. Patel spent hours alongside rescue workers sifting through the wreckage. “The scene was horrific, with bodies scattered everywhere,” he added, revealing that they used bags and clothing to collect remains amidst the chaos.
Reports indicated that approximately 150 to 200 people were present in the medical college hostel at the time of the accident. As the rescue efforts unfolded, Patel noted that he personally helped recover around 50 bodies. The official death toll is pending DNA verification, according to Amit Shah, India’s federal home minister.
Authorities are actively investigating the cause of the crash, with one of the aircraft’s two black boxes already recovered. The last communication from the flight’s captain, Sumeet Sabharwal, was a desperate “Mayday…no thrust, losing power, unable to lift,” shared by the UK’s Telegraph newspaper. The flight was carrying 12 crew members and 230 passengers, predominantly Indian and British nationals.
Awaiting news at a local hospital, 29-year-old Azaz Vohra expressed his anguish over the fate of his relatives. Vohra had recently seen off his cousin, Parvez, and his cousin’s four-year-old daughter, Zuveria, at the airport, highlighting the personal tragedy entwined with the larger disaster. “We haven’t received any updates from the hospital,” he lamented, showing photos of his loved ones.
Ahmedabad, the largest city in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s home state of Gujarat, is also home to the prestigious Indian Institute of Management. Modi visited the crash site on Friday, offering support to the sole survivor, Ramesh Vishwaskumar. According to reports, Vishwaskumar, who was seated in the front row of economy class, escaped the burning wreckage amidst chaos. “There were dead bodies around me. I got scared. I got up and ran,” he shared with local media.
As medical teams began to release bodies from the post-mortem room, emotional scenes unfolded, particularly among medical students who received their deceased friends. In the aftermath, a woman named Babhiben mourned her 14-year-old grandson, Akash, who was not a passenger but tragically caught in the vicinity during the incident.
This unfortunate event has shocked the region and sparked a deep sense of grief, revealing the devastating ripple effects of aviation disasters on communities. As the investigation progresses, the need for clarity surrounding the crash’s causes becomes increasingly urgent for families and the nation alike.
Original Source: https://www.livemint.com/news/dead-bodies-mangled-luggage-debris-haunt-rescuers-at-air-india-crash-site-11749880053838.html
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Publish Date: 2025-06-14 11:30:00
