Guwahati, June 12: In one of the deadliest aviation tragedies in recent years, an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner en route from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick crashed shortly after takeoff on Thursday, leaving no survivors among the 242 passengers and crew.
Among those who perished were two cabin crew members from Manipur—Nganthoi Sharma Kongbrailatpam, a resident of Imphal, and Lamnunthem Singson, who had recently moved with her family to Kanggui Town, Sadar Hills, after fleeing ethnic unrest in the region.
The aircraft, operating as Flight AI171, took off at 1:38 PM from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. Minutes later, it plunged into a densely populated residential area near the BJ Medical College hostel in Meghaninagar, triggering an explosion and widespread structural devastation.
According to Ahmedabad Police Commissioner GS Malik, there were no survivors.
“The aircraft fell on a residential area, causing more casualties on the ground,” he said.
The plane, captained by Sumeet Sabharwal (over 8,200 flight hours) and assisted by First Officer Clive Kunder (1,100 hours), carried 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, 1 Canadian, and 7 Portuguese citizens.
The crash site included parts of the BJ Medical College hostel, where MBBS interns and students were present in the mess area. Initial reports and eyewitness testimonies suggest that many students may have died in the incident. Distressing images and videos of the wreckage have flooded social media, triggering widespread grief.
Air India, in a mark of mourning, blacked out its social media profile—a gesture last made after the 2020 Kozhikode crash. A helpline (1800 5691 444) has been activated for families seeking updates.
The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, known for its fuel efficiency and passenger comfort, first flew in 2009 and has been a mainstay for long-haul flights.
Flight operations at Ahmedabad airport have been suspended until further notice. A full-scale investigation is underway to determine the cause of the crash.
In response to the tragedy, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives.
“I am deeply shocked and saddened by the loss of precious lives in the Air India flight tragedy in Ahmedabad,” he said in a statement. “On behalf of the people of Arunachal Pradesh, I extend heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. We stand with them in this time of grief.”
“May the departed souls rest in eternal peace. I pray for strength and courage to their families and loved ones.”
The nation remains in mourning as emergency responders and investigators work through the wreckage of one of India’s darkest aviation disasters.
