Air India Flight Crashes into Ahmedabad BJ Medical College Hostel, 1 Lone Survivor

An Air India flight carrying 242 people, including 230 passengers, 10 crew members, and 2 pilots, crashed into the undergraduate hostel mess of Byramjee Jeejeebhoy (BJ) Medical College shortly after takeoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport.

Authorities initially reported no survivors from the aircraft, but a British national of Indian origin, Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, has now been confirmed as one of the few who made it out alive. The 40-year-old was seen limping near the crash site shortly after the incident. Speaking from the hospital, Ramesh recounted that he heard a loud noise about thirty seconds after takeoff, followed by the crash.

“When I got up, there were bodies all around me. I was scared. I stood up and ran. There were pieces of the plane all around me. Someone grabbed hold of me and put me in an ambulance and brought me to the hospital,” he told Hindustan Times. He was still clutching his boarding pass when help arrived.

The Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) confirmed that three MBBS students died in the incident, while nearly 50 students have been admitted with injuries. At least 186 bodies have been recovered so far. FAIMA shared that they are closely monitoring the situation and are ready to offer assistance. The doctors' body expressed their grief, noting that the tragedy became even more painful upon learning that the crash impacted a medical college hostel filled with students.

Current figures from local officials and FAIMA include:

• 3 MBBS students confirmed dead

• 50 MBBS students hospitalized (all in stable condition)

• 4 to 5 students reported missing

• 2 to 3 in critical condition in HDU or ICU

• 3 to 4 family members of resident doctors missing

• Spouse of a super-specialist doctor found deceased

Social media platforms have been flooded with urgent calls for O-negative blood donations in the aftermath of the tragedy.

Images from the crash site show the tail section of the aircraft lodged in the college building, with partially eaten meals on trays that were left behind in the chaos. The explosion from the impact, caused by the aircraft being heavily fueled for its long-haul international journey, created massive fire and smoke visible from across the city.

The aircraft, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, was scheduled to depart for London Gatwick Airport at 13:10 IST but took off at 13:39 IST from Runway 23. A distress signal was received moments after departure, but communication was quickly lost. The plane crashed into the Meghani Nagar area, just outside the airport perimeter.

Rescue and recovery efforts are being carried out by multiple agencies. The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has deployed about 150 personnel to assist in ongoing relief operations. These include troops from the 100 Battalion of the Rapid Action Force (RAF) and CRPF members from the Group Centre in Gandhinagar, who are working alongside Ahmedabad police officials and local responders.

In addition, three teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) are already present at the site, with three more units being dispatched from Vadodara. Personnel from the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) are also engaged in the mission.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi responded to the incident, calling it "heartbreaking beyond words."

Among those on board were 169 Indian nationals, 53 British citizens, 7 Portuguese nationals, and 1 Canadian.

In the aftermath of the tragedy, the emotional toll on medical personnel has also become evident. A widely shared post by Dr. Saurav, a medical professional and public health communicator, recounted a conversation with a surgery resident from Civil Hospital.

“He sounded shaken. The visuals from the crash are beyond devastating,” Dr. Saurav wrote. “It’s the scariest sight he’s witnessed in his entire training. We often talk about trauma care in textbooks, but nothing prepares you for the sheer human tragedy that unfolds in real time.”

A formal investigation into the cause of the crash is underway, and further updates are expected from aviation authorities and Air India representatives.

This incident marks one of the darkest days in recent memory for both the nation and the medical community.

More updates will follow as the situation unfolds.

(Input from Various Sources)

(Rehash/Dr. Theresa Lily/MSM)