While there has been no official confirmation of total casualties, a medical student told South First that at least two MBBS students had died, and 48 others had sustained injuries.
Published Jun 12, 2025 | 4:45 PM ⚊ Updated Jun 12, 2025 | 8:05 PM
The interior of one of the hostels in BJ Medical College, which was destroyed following the plane crash.
Synopsis: At least two medical students were killed and 48 others injured when Air India flight AI171 crashed into the undergraduate hostel mess of BJ Medical College in Ahmedabad on Thursday afternoon. The Boeing 787-8 aircraft, en route to London, struck the hostel shortly after take-off, igniting a massive fire and triggering chaos on campus.
In one of the worst aviation tragedies to strike Ahmedabad in recent memory, Air India flight AI171, en route to London, crashed into the undergraduate hostel mess of BJ Medical College in Meghani Nagar shortly after take-off on Thursday afternoon.
The crash has left several students injured and at least two dead, according to initial eyewitness accounts.
The Boeing 787-8 aircraft, which departed from Ahmedabad airport at 1.38 p.m., was carrying 242 people – including 169 Indian nationals, 53 British citizens, one Canadian, and seven Portuguese nationals.
Within moments of take-off, the aircraft reportedly issued a Mayday call and lost contact with air traffic control. It crashed into the BJMC UG hostel mess, triggering a massive fire and panic across the college campus.
A senior police officer told reporters, “As per preliminary information, a London-bound Air India flight has crashed at the doctors’ hostel. Within 2-3 minutes, police and other agencies reached the spot. Rescue operations are underway.”
While there has been no official confirmation of total casualties, a postgraduate student told South First that three MBBS students have died, and over 50 others have sustained injuries.
“Many of us were in the mess when the crash happened. The ceiling came down. It was chaos,” the student said. “The death toll may reach double digits not only due to the burn injuries and asphyxiation.”
Injured students were taken to the nearby Civil Hospital. Emergency services are working to stabilise the injured and clear the debris around the hostel premises.
In an official update, the Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) said that, as per their communication with Dr Dhawal Gameti – President of the Resident Doctors Association (RDA) BJ Medical College Ahmedabad and Vice President of FAIMA – the situation on the ground remains critical.
“Around 50 to 60 MBBS students have been admitted to hospitals so far, and all are currently stable,” FAIMA said in a statement.
However, 4 to 5 MBBS students are still missing, and 2 to 3 students are in high dependency units (HDU) and intensive care units (ICU).
Tragically, 3 to 4 relatives of super-specialty resident doctors are also reported missing, and the wife of one resident doctor has been found dead. Most passengers aboard the ill-fated flight are feared dead.
Eyewitnesses on campus described harrowing scenes. “We saw people jumping from the second and third floors to escape the flames. The plane was on fire when it hit the building,” said one student.
FAIMA has urged the public to stay calm and not panic, while also issuing an urgent appeal for blood donations in Ahmedabad.
“On behalf of Team FAIMA, we urge your support and sensitivity during this critical time. The residents of BJMC Ahmedabad are working tirelessly to save the lives of the injured,” it said.
“We kindly request that you refrain from contacting them directly so they can focus on emergency care. Your cooperation and responsible reporting are deeply appreciated.”
Visuals from the site showed thick black smoke rising from the wreckage, with twisted metal, fire, and rubble scattered across the area.
Fire engines and disaster response teams were seen working through the debris as distressed families gathered outside the college, seeking updates on their loved ones.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), in an official statement, confirmed the crash and identified the aircraft as being under the command of Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, who has logged over 8,200 flying hours.
The first officer, Clive Kundar, had approximately 1,100 hours of flight experience.
According to the DGCA, the aircraft, after departing from runway 23, failed to gain sufficient altitude and crashed just beyond the airport perimeter.
Data from flight-tracking service Flightradar24 shows the aircraft reached only 625 feet before descending rapidly.
Fire Officer Jayesh Khadia, speaking from the site, said: “The plane caught fire after crashing. Fire tenders were rushed to the spot to douse the flames. Rescue work is still ongoing.”
Three teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) from Gandhinagar, along with additional units from Vadodara, have been deployed.
Authorities have requested the public to stay away from the site, which remains under active emergency response.
Air India has set up a passenger helpline, and the Ministry of Civil Aviation has issued contact numbers for families:
Reports indicate that the passenger list includes former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, though his condition remains unconfirmed.
Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu expressed condolences and said he was personally monitoring the situation:
“We are on the highest alert. Rescue teams have been mobilised. All efforts are being made to ensure medical aid and relief support.”
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
