On a warm Thursday afternoon, the BJ Medical College hostel came alive with students bustling around the canteen, sharing jokes and enjoying lunch. By 13:39 local time, the atmosphere shifted dramatically when a deafening roar from jet engines interrupted the lively chatter.
Just moments earlier, Air India Flight AI171, a 787 Dreamliner destined for London with 242 passengers, had taken off from Ahmedabad’s airport, a mere 1.5 kilometers away. However, disaster struck shortly after takeoff, leading to a catastrophic mayday call before the plane crashed into the residential area, directly on top of the doctors’ hostel, resulting in a significant fireball and the loss of almost all lives on board.
Eyewitness accounts from students, faculty, and local residents depict a scene of pandemonium. A doctor nearby recalled the initial uncertainty, mistaking the sound for thunder—until screams erupted, alerting them to the crash.
Brothers Prince and Krish Patni, who were cycling nearby, witnessed the aftermath as they hurried to assist. They faced tremendous heat from the explosion, navigating through debris to reach the canteen, where a suffocating cloud of smoke obscured their view.
Inside, they found survivors in shock, some still clutching utensils from their meals, a haunting reminder of their normal afternoon turned tragic. Among the few to escape, a second-year student described being trapped under rubble with limited breathing space, unsure of his friends’ fates. The chaos that ensued left an indelible mark on everyone present, forever changing their lives.
Source: www.bbc.com
