Air India Boeing 787 crash leaves hundreds dead, 1 survivor

An Air India Boeing 787‑8 Dreamliner, Flight AI171, en route to London Gatwick, crashed into the B.J. Medical College hostel in Ahmedabad shortly after takeoff Thursday at 1:38 p.m. local time, killing more than 240 people, officials said.

Flight AI171 departed Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport and climbed to about 600 feet before issuing a Mayday distress call. Around 30 seconds after takeoff, the aircraft crashed into a densely populated area, striking a hostel dining hall on the college campus. CCTV footage showed the plane rising briefly before plummeting and erupting in flames.

All 242 people on board — 230 passengers and 12 crew — were presumed dead except for one survivor: British national Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, who was seated in emergency exit row 11A. He reportedly jumped from the aircraft as it broke apart. Passengers included 169 Indians, 53 Britons, seven Portuguese and one Canadian.

At least five medical students on the ground were killed when debris struck the dining area during lunch. Dozens of others were injured. Initial fatality estimates of 294 were revised downward after authorities removed duplicate counts.

The crash is the first fatal accident involving a Boeing 787 Dreamliner since its commercial debut in 2009. It is also India’s deadliest civil aviation disaster since 1996.

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau is leading the probe with support from Boeing, GE Aerospace, the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board and the U.K. Air Accidents Investigation Branch. Investigators will review flight recorders, maintenance logs, pilot records and wreckage. Ahmedabad airport briefly suspended operations but has since resumed limited service.