Running from the Ahmedabad Civil Hospital to the site of the crash with his wife, Ravi Thakur, a cook at the B. J. Medical College’s undergraduate mess, never imagined a plane crash would ruin his daily routine and turn into a desperate search through debris and fire.
“My mother, Sarlaben Pralhadji Thakur, and my two-year-old daughter, Adyaravi Thakur, are still missing,” said Ravi, his voice hollow with disbelief. “My wife, my mother, and I used to cook for the undergraduate students. That day, only fate decided who would survive.”
Ravi’s personal tragedy is just one thread in a larger fabric of fear that has descended over Meghaninagar Colony, which lies just 100 metres from the crash site. The Air India 787 Dreamliner, moments after appearing overhead, slammed into the five-storey hostel building of the B. J. Medical College Hospital—killing more than 240 people and leaving locals stunned and terrified.
Meghaninagar Lives In Fear
Madhu, 61, a homemaker and longtime resident of Meghaninagar recalls that afternoon. “We were having lunch. Everything was normal,” she says, wiping away tears. “Then, suddenly, a deafening boom shook the entire colony. We rushed outside and saw black flames—an inferno. The plane had crashed just 100 meters from my house. Children were screaming and crying in terror.”
Geeta, 51, from Colony No. 1, was jolted awake by what felt like an earthquake. “We were resting, and the kids were playing,” she recalls. “Suddenly, the house shook violently. Utensils fell to the ground. We ran to the rooftop and saw it—the wreckage, the smoke, the chaos. We grabbed the children and ran towards the main road, not knowing if there’d be another explosion.”
The neighbourhood, once bustling with everyday noise, now sits under a heavy cloud of fear and disbelief. Residents remain shaken, unsure of what will come next, and haunted by the fact that death fell from the sky—right in front of them.
How The Crash Happened
Minutes after take-off, the Air India 787 Dreamliner slammed into a hostel for doctors of a medical college, killing 10 students. Visuals from the crash site show debris had pierced through the wall of a dining hall of the hostel, with food still visible on some of the plates.
Flight AI 171―flying from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport to London’s Gatwick Airport―had on board 169 Indians, 53 British, seven Portuguese and one Canadian nationals, total 242 passengers. Except one, all the other 241 people, including 12 crew members, on Thursday are believed to have been killed. Former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani was on the flight and was killed in the crash.
Air India CEO Campbell Wilson made his first remarks on the plane crash. “I would like to express our deep sorrow about this event. This is a difficult day for all of us at Air India, and our efforts are focused on the needs of our passengers, crew members, their families and loved ones.” In a video address, he said the airline was actively working with authorities on rescue operations.
PM Modi, Amit Shah Visit the Crash Site
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday visited the site of the Air India plane crash. Later, he also chaired a high-level meeting with ministers and senior officials in Ahmedabad to review the situation. The focus of the discussions was on rescue efforts, identification of the victims and support measures for the affected families.
Earlier, Union Home Minister Amit Shah inspected the site and expressed his shock. “There was 1.25 lakh litres of fuel inside the plane and it caught fire so it was impossible to save anyone." The entire nation is in deep shock following the tragedy, he said. Shah also expressed condolences to the relatives of those killed in the accident. “The number of those killed will be officially released by the authorities after DNA test and identification of the victims,” Shah said.
