The death toll continues to climb as rescue workers search through the wreckage of a medical college hostel that was devastated when Air India Flight 171 crashed into the building during lunch hour Thursday, with authorities now confirming that dozens of medical students and doctors were among the casualties.
At least three medical students died, according to Swapnil Bhalodia of the Indian Medical Association Medical Students Network in Gujarat, while between 50 and 60 medical students have been admitted to local hospitals, according to the Federation of All India Medical Association. Local media reported that as many as 24 people on the ground were also killed as the plane crashed onto the medical college hostel during the lunch hour.
The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, carrying 242 passengers and crew bound for London Gatwick Airport, crashed into the residential hostel complex just five minutes after takeoff from Ahmedabad airport at 1:38 p.m. local time. The impact occurred during the busiest time of day when medical students and young doctors were gathering for their midday meal.
Ramila, whose son narrowly escaped the disaster, described the terrifying moments to ANI news agency: “My son is safe, and I have spoken to him. He jumped from the second floor, so he suffered some injuries.” Her son had gone to the hostel for his lunch break when the aircraft struck the building with devastating force.
The crash has particularly impacted the medical community in Gujarat state, with the hostel serving as accommodation for doctors and medical students from across the region. Rescue workers continue to comb through the debris of the multi-story building, searching for survivors and recovering bodies from the wreckage.
“We are still verifying the number of dead, including those killed in the building where the plane crashed,” state police officer Vidhi Chaudhary told Reuters, as authorities work to establish the exact number of medical professionals among the casualties.
The tragedy has sent shockwaves through India’s medical education system, with the Federation of All India Medical Association coordinating emergency response efforts to treat the dozens of injured students now hospitalized across Ahmedabad. Many of the victims were young medical professionals at the beginning of their careers, having traveled from different parts of India to study and work at the prestigious medical college.
Of the 242 people aboard Flight 171, Air India confirmed that 241 died in the crash, with only one passenger surviving. The combined death toll from both the aircraft and the ground now stands at least 290, making it one of the deadliest aviation disasters in Indian history.
The sole surviving passenger, 40-year-old Ramesh Viswashkumar, seated in 11A next to an emergency exit, recounted the horror from his hospital bed: “Thirty seconds after take-off, there was a loud noise and then the plane crashed. It all happened so quickly. When I got up, there were bodies all around me.” His brother Ajay, who was also on the flight, remains missing.
Rescue operations continue around the clock as emergency teams work to clear the debris from the hostel building. The crash has raised urgent questions about flight path safety over densely populated residential and institutional areas, particularly during critical phases of flight operations near major airports.
India’s Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu said rescue teams remain mobilized as the search continues: “All efforts are being made to ensure medical aid and relief support are being rushed to the site.” Ahmedabad airport has suspended all flight operations indefinitely as investigators begin examining the cause of the crash.
