Air India crash: Tragedy far beyond fuselage as Ahmedabad's BJ Medical Hostel becomes death zone; doctors among 265 dead, body count rising

AHMEDABAD: The death toll from the catastrophic crash of Air India flight AI-171 has climbed to at least 265, with authorities warning the number could rise further as 290 body bags were used at the crash site in Ahmedabad.

The ill-fated Boeing 787 Dreamliner, bound for London, plummeted into the residential quarters and mess of BJ Medical College just 34 seconds after takeoff on Thursday afternoon.While the aircraft carried 242 passengers and crew, the tragedy extended far beyond the fuselage. The plane’s front end tore into the Atulyam-11 residential quarters, home to undergraduate and postgraduate doctors. The midsection scattered across a garden and adjoining road, while the tail and wheels became lodged on the roof of the doctors’ mess, where many were gathered for lunch.According to initial reports, at least 23 victims were on the ground — medical students, practicing doctors, and family members. Among the confirmed deceased were doctors Aaryan Rajput, Manav Bhadoo, and Rakesh Deora, along with Kajal Pradip Solanki, a pregnant woman and wife of a doctor. Jay Prakash Chaudhary, a resident doctor, remains missing.The crash came just minutes after the daily lunch break had begun.

“Had the plane come down even 10 minutes later, more than 300 doctors who usually gather at the mess would have been inside,” said intern Kushal Chauhan, who had just stepped out when the crash occurred.Dr Ramkrishna, who narrowly escaped, recalled, “A friend warned me about a plane flying too low. I stepped out—and then came the blast. Heat, fire, and chaos followed. We pulled out five bodies from the debris, identified by their aprons.”Dr Mohit Chavda, caught inside the mess, described the surreal moment: “Luggage and debris rained down. I sat frozen for 10 minutes before I could even call for help.”Eyewitnesses described a “deafening blast” and what “felt like an earthquake.” The plane, carrying 169 Indians, 53 British nationals, 7 Portuguese, and 1 Canadian, fell out of the sky after climbing just 425 feet. The Mayday call issued by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal was the last contact the Air Traffic Control received.This marks the first-ever crash of a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, with over 41,000 flying hours and 8,000 landings in the past year. The cause remains under investigation, though engine failure or a bird hit are suspected.The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has deployed six teams. “We cannot give final casualty figures until the site is fully cleared,” said Hariom Gandhi from the NDRF.The Tata Group, which owns Air India, has announced a compensation of Rs 1 crore for each victim’s family and committed to rebuilding the damaged medical facilities.Meanwhile, DNA identification of victims is underway at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital, with police providing special assistance to grieving families. The tragedy has plunged the medical fraternity and city into mourning — a cruel twist of fate turning a routine afternoon into a disaster etched in memory.(With agency inputs)