Ahmedabad Air India Crash: 265 Dead, Massive Multi-Agency Rescue Underway.
At least 265 people have been confirmed dead after a London-bound Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed just minutes after take-off from Ahmedabad on Thursday afternoon. Among the deceased are 241 of the 242 passengers on board and 10 residents of the BJ Medical College hostel. The remaining fatalities are believed to be local residents in the vicinity at the time of the crash, although official confirmation is awaited.
The aircraft struck the mess building of BJ Medical College Civil Hospital and the Atulyam Hostel, where senior resident doctors stayed. The sole survivor from the flight is Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a UK resident of Indian origin. He was traveling with his brother, Ajay Kumar Rakesh, 45, who did not survive.
DNA Identification and Medical Response
So far, eight bodies have been identified and handed over to families. DNA samples have been collected from 219 relatives, and teams from 10 Forensic Science Laboratories (FSL) are working to identify victims and analyze black box data.
The crash also left 50 injured. Among them:
16 are under outpatient care
12, in stable condition, are expected to be discharged soon
Others are being treated in ICUs
Rapid Emergency Response
Emergency services responded within three minutes of the crash. A total of:
612 fire personnel
139 firefighting units
Over 250 Army soldiers
1 RAF team
3 NDRF/SDRF teams
were deployed for rescue and recovery operations. A specialist dog squad was used to locate bodies and human remains.
A green corridor was established to transport the injured quickly. Over 100 ambulances were pressed into service, and medical teams were placed on high alert under the supervision of Health Minister Hrishikesh Patel.
Government Action and Relief Measures
Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel ordered all state systems to prioritize rescue and relief. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah visited the crash site and assured full central support.
The Gujarat government set up:
A 24×7 control room at SEOC and Civil Hospital
Accommodation and transport for victims’ families
Four IAS officers at Civil Hospital to assist affected families
Additional resources include:
150 Municipal and Roads Department personnel
41 dumpers
16 JCBs and 3 excavators
to aid clearing and investigation efforts alongside the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
Comments are closed.