Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, June 12: While the chances of any survival in the Air India London-bound flight crash carrying 242 passengers and crew near the Ahmedabad airport is considered to be remote, at least five medical students also reported killed and many other medical students suffered injuries as the aircraft crashed into the BJ Medical College building in the Ahmedabad civil hospital campus on Thursday afternoon.
According to the initial information, the deceased included four undergraduate students and one postgraduate resident. The Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner with 242 people on board — 230 passengers and 12 crew — crashed immediately after take-off from Ahmedabad airport.
The flight, headed to London, departed at 13:38 pm from the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. The failure to achieve lift happened at a very low altitude of 825 feet.
The incident occurred at lunch time and students of the BJ Medical College, where the plane crashed, were having lunch. It is reported that there could be injuries on the ground too. In pictures from the ground, food plates and glasses lying on the tables in the hostel canteen with people standing near the damaged wall can be seen. The pictures showed a part of the aircraft stuck inside the students’ hostel of the BJ Medical College.
“We are deeply shocked about the news of AI plane crashing in Ahmedabad. News have become more gruesome after finding out that flight had crushed in BJMC, Hostel & many MBBS students have also been injured!!!! We are monitoring the situation closely & are ready for any help!” the Federation of All India Medical Associations (FAIMA) said in a statement on X.
Reports from the state medical association noted that the aircraft crashed directly on the BJ Medical College UG hostel mess in Meghani Nagar. The FAIMA claimed students were present at the hostel mess at the time of the crash. Images shared by FAIMA show a part of the plane stuck in the building of the hostel, which could be seen to have suffered damages. An official confirmation from the State Government is awaited with details about the medical and medical college staff injured in the accident
Dr Akshay Dongardhive of FAIMA said around 20-30 students could have been injured on the ground due to the crash. Videos from the crash site show parts of the crashed aircraft lying around while people were seen pushing these parts. Heavy smoke was visible from Dharpur near the Meghani Nagar area in Ahmedabad. The fire brigade has rushed to the spot, and emergency response teams are being mobilised. Authorities are yet to confirm the cause of the crash.
