Ahmedabad Plane Crash: 265 Bodies Recovered and Brought to Civil Hospital, Confirm Police

A London-bound Air India flight crashed shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad airport on Thursday afternoon, causing one of the deadliest air disasters in Indian aviation history. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner, carrying 242 people on board, crashed into residential quarters near the BJ Medical College and Civil Hospital in the Meghaninagar area.

Police officials late Thursday night confirmed that 265 bodies had been brought to the city’s civil hospital. This figure is higher than the number of people on the flight, which suggests that residents on the ground were also killed in the crash.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Kanan Desai informed reporters, “265 bodies have reached the hospital as per the message we received.” However, an official death count has not been released yet because authorities are still carrying out DNA tests and trying to identify the victims.

According to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the temperature inside the crashed aircraft became extremely high due to burning fuel, making survival impossible for most. “There was no chance that anyone could be saved,” he said, confirming the worst fears of families waiting for news. He also mentioned that only one passenger had miraculously survived.

Eyewitnesses described a terrifying scene—flames, thick smoke, and explosions coming from the crash site, followed by chaos and screams as emergency teams rushed in. Locals tried to help, but the intensity of the fire made it difficult to reach the passengers inside.

This tragic event has left the entire city of Ahmedabad in mourning and has sent shockwaves throughout the country and overseas, especially in the UK where many of the passengers were headed.

Investigation underway and response

The Boeing 787 was scheduled to fly to London's Gatwick Airport as Air India flight AI171. It took off from Ahmedabad around 1:38 pm, but within minutes, it lost altitude and crashed into nearby buildings located in the housing quarters for doctors and staff working at the BJ Medical College.

While the exact cause of the crash is still unknown, early reports suggest a possible engine failure or technical malfunction shortly after takeoff. A high-level investigation has been ordered by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), and a team of experts from Air India, Boeing, and the aviation safety board is on-site to inspect the wreckage.

Emergency services including fire brigades, disaster response teams, and local police arrived quickly. However, the fire spread so rapidly due to jet fuel that most of the passengers were unable to escape. Burnt debris from the plane covered the area, and nearby buildings were also damaged.

Because the crash happened so close to the medical college, many doctors and medical students were among the first to respond. However, several of them also became victims due to the location of the impact. Officials confirmed that some bodies recovered so far include students, medical staff, and local residents.

Union Civil Aviation Minister and Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel visited the crash site and met with emergency personnel. Both assured that families of victims would receive full support, including financial aid, DNA testing for identification, and grief counselling.

Families have been lining up outside the civil hospital, waiting for information. But because many of the bodies are severely burnt, DNA testing is required before identities can be confirmed. Authorities have appealed to family members to remain patient and cooperate with the medical and forensic teams.

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Victims and emotional toll

As of now, only one passenger is confirmed to have survived. According to hospital staff, the survivor is in critical condition with major burns and injuries. He was pulled from the wreckage by local rescuers before the fire spread further.

Several well-known personalities were onboard, including former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, who died in the crash. Four MBBS students, a doctor’s wife, and a travel influencer named Roshni Rajendra Songhare, who was also part of the Air India cabin crew, were among the victims.

Images of the aftermath are being shared widely on social media—showing scorched metal, torn aircraft parts, and personal belongings scattered across the ground. These images are now symbols of loss and helplessness.

The news has not only impacted the families of the victims but also the nation’s psyche. For many, this tragedy brings back painful memories of past air disasters, and questions are being raised about the safety standards of aircraft, particularly the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

On social media, messages of support and grief have flooded in. Several international leaders, including from the UK and US, have expressed condolences. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the crash “a national tragedy” and offered prayers for the deceased and strength to their families.

The Ministry of External Affairs has opened help desks to coordinate with foreign embassies for those international passengers who lost their lives or were injured.

Identifying all the victims is proving to be a huge challenge for authorities. Many bodies are charred beyond recognition, and officials have said it could take several days to a week to confirm names through DNA and dental record matching.

The city civil hospital’s morgue is overwhelmed. Extra staff have been called in, and mobile cold storage units have been arranged to store the remains. Counselling centres and a special helpline have been set up to support grieving families.

Relatives are being asked to provide DNA samples and relevant documents to aid the process. Authorities are also collecting missing person reports from the families of the 242 passengers and crew members.

A list of confirmed names will be published only after proper verification to avoid any errors. In previous aviation disasters, mistaken identity caused significant distress, so officials are being extra cautious.

Investigation and safety concerns

This crash has prompted serious concern about aviation safety, especially regarding the Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft. Though known for fuel efficiency and long-haul performance, the Dreamliner model has been involved in several past incidents globally due to battery fires, engine faults, or technical bugs.

In this case, experts suspect a mechanical failure or engine malfunction as the cause, but no official report has been issued yet. Flight data recorders (black boxes) have been recovered and will be sent for analysis, which may take several weeks.

Until then, Air India has grounded all its other Dreamliner aircraft as a precautionary measure. The DGCA has announced that fleet-wide checks will be carried out to ensure there are no similar defects in other aircraft.

The Boeing company also issued a short statement saying it was cooperating with Indian authorities and was “deeply saddened” by the tragedy.

The incident also puts the spotlight on airport emergency planning, as the aircraft crashed within minutes of takeoff, not far from a densely populated urban zone. Authorities will likely review flight path planning and safety buffers around residential areas near airports.

The Ahmedabad plane crash is now being described as one of the worst aviation disasters in India in recent decades. The number of deaths surpassing the total passenger count highlights the magnitude of destruction, impacting not just those on board but also those living near the crash site.

While the nation mourns, the focus now is on supporting families, recovering bodies, and ensuring that such a tragedy never happens again. As rescue work continues, and as names begin to emerge from the long list of victims, the city of Ahmedabad and the country at large will take time to recover from this enormous loss.