Air India AI-171 Crashes Minutes After Takeoff; Aircraft Slams Into Medical College Hostel Mess, Scores of MBBS Students Feared Dead in Meghani Nagar Inferno
Ahmedabad: In one of the deadliest aviation disasters in India's recent history, Air India flight AI-171, en route to London from Ahmedabad, crashed barely 20 minutes after takeoff, killing all 200+ passengers onboard, including former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani. The aircraft crashed directly into the UG hostel mess of BJ Medical College in Meghani Nagar, reducing parts of the campus to rubble and triggering a massive fire.
"This is one of the most heartbreaking tragedies the city has ever seen," said a senior Ahmedabad official at the crash site.
Catastrophic Crash: Fire, Smoke, Screams Engulf BJ Medical Campus
At approximately 1:50 PM, Air India AI-171, a Tata-owned Boeing aircraft, took off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. Around 2:10 PM, the pilot reported an engine failure and issued a distress call to the Air Traffic Control (ATC). Before any emergency landing could be initiated, the plane nose-dived into a residential stretch of Meghani Nagar, hitting an under-construction building and BJ Medical College’s undergraduate hostel mess.
“It was horrifying... flames shot up, debris flew everywhere, and screams echoed across the hostel compound,” said an eyewitness MBBS student who escaped narrowly.
Initial estimates suggest dozens of medical students were inside the mess hall, many of whom are feared dead. Fire and rescue operations are ongoing, but charred remains and collapsed structures have made identification and retrieval extremely difficult.
Nation Mourns Vijay Rupani: A Stalwart of Gujarat Politics
Vijay Rupani (68), a senior BJP leader and former Gujarat CM (2016–2021), was aboard AI-171. His sudden death has sent shockwaves through the BJP and national political circles.
“He was more than a leader—he was a fighter, a friend, and a pillar of the Gujarat BJP,” a teary-eyed colleague recalled.
Rupani is survived by wife Anjali Rupani, children Poojit, Rushabh, and Radhika Rupani. Born in 1956 in Yangon, Myanmar, Vijay Rupani began his political journey with the ABVP and was jailed during the Emergency in 1976 for protesting against the Congress regime. Rising through the ranks, he served as Rajya Sabha MP (2006–2012), became Rajkot MLA in 2014, and ultimately CM in 2016. Known for his clean image and administrative stability, Rupani was a trusted aide of PM Narendra Modi.
Inquiry Ordered: What Went Wrong With AI-171?
Initial reports indicate a serious technical snag in the aircraft’s engine. A high-level inquiry has been ordered by the DGCA and Ministry of Civil Aviation.
“Our focus now is rescue and recovery. But an investigation will go into every detail—engine records, ATC communication, maintenance logs, pilot actions,” said a senior DGCA official.
Union Civil Aviation Minister and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are expected to visit the site tomorrow. The black box of the aircraft is being retrieved from the wreckage.
National Mourning Likely, Grief Across the Country
The Government of India is expected to announce a day of national mourning. Condolences have poured in from across the political spectrum, medical fraternity, and civil society as families mourn both a towering political figure and hundreds of innocent lives lost—including many young medical students with dreams abruptly extinguished.
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