Ahmedabad: In the aftermath of the tragic Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner crash on Thursday, chaos gripped Ahmedabad’s Civil Hospital, where several injured passengers and residents were rushed for emergency treatment. The flight AI-171, bound for London’s Gatwick Airport, crashed minutes after taking off from Runway 23 of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, carrying 242 people, including 232 passengers and 12 crew members.
Doctors at the Civil Hospital said they had “never seen such mass casualties”, as emergency wards quickly filled with critically injured patients.
“My sister was going to London. She had her flight around 1:10 pm, but the flight crashed,” said a distraught relative outside the hospital.
The situation was further complicated by the influx of families of passengers, desperate for updates and medical attention. Air India, in a post on X, confirmed that injured passengers were being transported to the nearest hospitals for treatment.
Crash on BJ Medical College Premises
The aircraft crashed into the residential quarters of BJ Medical College in Meghaninagar, just outside the airport perimeter. According to reports, five medical students were killed in the accident — four undergraduate students and one postgraduate resident, NDTV reported.
“It is a residential building, doctors live there,” an eyewitness told ANI.
Several buildings in the area, particularly five-storey hostel apartments, caught fire due to the impact. Eyewitnesses said many residents suffered burns and injuries as flames engulfed parts of the premises.
“People in these apartments had sustained injuries,” said one eyewitness to PTI.
Rescue Efforts and Current Status
Authorities continue rescue operations at the site. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is leading the investigation into the crash. Meanwhile, flight operations at Ahmedabad airport have resumed after a brief suspension.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken stock of the situation and ordered swift relief and rescue operations, while Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu and Home Minister Amit Shah are en route to Ahmedabad.