An Air India 787 Dreamliner crash in Ahmedabad claimed the lives of all 242 passengers and An Air India 787 Dreamliner crash in Ahmedabad claimed the lives of all 242 passengers and crew members on Thursday. The London-bound aircraft exploded shortly after takeoff, slamming into a medical college hostel near the airport in Gujarat’s capital.
Black smoke and flames engulfed the site as firefighters struggled to douse the wreckage and surrounding buildings with water. Eyewitnesses described scenes of horror with scattered fuselage parts and charred bodies visible across the crash zone.
Indian army teams rushed to assist firefighters and local authorities in rescue operations and debris removal efforts. The plane had lifted from Sadar Vallabhbhai Patel Airport at 1:38 pm local time and crashed five minutes later.
City Police Chief G.S Malik confirmed that there were no survivors, and casualties likely included people on the ground. Officials said the Boeing 787-8 filled with fuel burst into flames after striking the hostel in the Meghani Nagar area.
At least five medical students died on site, and 50 others suffered injuries, many of them critical local doctors reported. Air India said the flight carried 169 Indians, 53 Britons, 7 Portuguese nationals, and one Canadian passenger.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed heartbreak and condoned affected families in a social media post.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the crash devastating and promised full support to those affected. King Charles III and Queen Camilla shared their sympathy, expressing shock over the international scale of the tragedy.
Boeing acknowledged the crash and said more details were being gathered while cooperating with Indian aviation authorities. Experts noted the crash marked the first-ever fatal accident involving a Boeing 787 Dreamliner since its 2009 debut.
Air India Chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran said the airline had activated emergency teams to support grieving families. With the Paris Air Show approaching, the crash poses a significant blow to Boeing’s efforts to rebuild public trust and safety.
