Ahmedabad plane crash: 204 killed in Air India plane crash, eyewitnesses said - 'felt like an earthquake'

Ahmedabad: A horrific plane crash in Ahmedabad, Gujarat on Thursday afternoon shook the entire country. Air India's Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, Flight AI171, flying to London's Gatwick Airport, crashed in the residential area of Meghani Nagar minutes after taking off from Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. 204 people have been confirmed dead in this accident, while 41 people are reported to be injured. The magnitude of the accident can be gauged from the statements of eyewitnesses, who described it as an 'earthquake-like' experience.

Accident details and immediate response

Air India flight AI171 departed from Ahmedabad airport at 1:38 pm (local time), carrying 230 passengers and 12 crew members. According to Flightradar24, the plane issued a mayday call five minutes after takeoff and lost contact soon after. The plane crashed into a doctors' hostel and residential buildings in Meghani Nagar, causing a massive fire. Viral videos on social media showed thick black smoke and flames from the crash site.

Ahmedabad Police Commissioner G.S. Malik said, "We have recovered 204 bodies so far, and 41 injured have been admitted to hospitals. The deceased may include both passengers of the plane and those on the ground." The only survivor has been identified as 40-year-old British-Indian Vishwas Kumar Ramesh, who lives in London and had come to Ahmedabad to visit his family.

Eyewitnesses' horrifying experience

Eyewitnesses of the accident said that the plane was flying very low, and suddenly it crashed into a residential area with a loud bang. An eyewitness, Harshad Shah, said, “I was near my office when I heard a loud sound. It felt like an earthquake. Smoke and fire spread all around.” Another eyewitness, who was at the airport, said that he saw thick smoke after the plane crashed. A man claimed that he helped three injured people reach the ambulance.

Rescue operations and government response

Emergency services, including six NDRF teams, fire tenders, and police rushed to the spot soon after the incident. The Indian Army deployed 130 personnel for rescue operations and treatment of the injured. Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel directed to create a green corridor for the injured.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep grief over the accident and tweeted, “The accident in Ahmedabad is heartbreaking. My condolences are with the affected families.” Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu were asked to immediately reach Ahmedabad and monitor the relief operations.

First in aviation history

The accident is the first major accident involving a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, as recorded in the aviation safety database. The cause of the accident is not yet clear, and teams from the US and the UK are arriving in India to investigate.

Impact and overall impact

The accident also claimed the life of former Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani, which has triggered an outpouring of grief in the state. Air India has announced a compensation of Rs 1 crore for the families of the victims. The Ahmedabad airport has been temporarily closed, and a London-Goa flight was also cancelled.

The accident is believed to be the world's deadliest aviation accident in the last decade. As the investigation progresses, it is hoped that the causes of the tragedy will be unraveled, so that such incidents can be prevented in the future.