Ahmedabad plane crash: We heard massive sound… and then saw thick smoke, bodies and debris everywhere

Dubai: Residents of Ahmedabad's Meghani Nagar were jolted by a thunderous explosion Thursday afternoon as an Air India flight crashed into a residential doctors’ hostel just minutes after takeoff, leaving a trail of devastation and triggering a full-scale emergency response.

“We heard a massive sound… and then saw thick smoke, bodies, and debris everywhere,” said a local resident who witnessed the horrific aftermath.

The London-bound Flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner carrying 242 people — including 230 passengers and 12 crew members — had just departed from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport when it plunged into the Meghani Nagar area.

Local residents rushed to the scene. “Dead bodies and debris from the crashed aircraft were scattered all over,” said one man who witnessed the immediate aftermath. Another, who works just 200 metres from the crash site, told ANI, “I stepped out and saw smoke fill the air. There was panic everywhere. I saw the wings of the aircraft fallen here and fire raging from the debris.”

Harshit, a medical student, said he was having lunch when the plane crashed into the building next door. His friend, present at the crash site, is now in hospital.

Speaking with ANI, a concerned relative, Bhawna Patel said, “My sister was going to London. She had her flight around 1.10 pm, but the flight crashed.”

“My sister-in-law was going to London. Within an hour, I got news that the plane had crashed. So I have come here,” another person with her added.

The mother of a boy inside the hostel, where the plane crashed, also rushed to the civil hospital in the wake of this horrific tragedy.

She said that her son jumped from the second floor and suffered some injuries.

“My son had gone to the hostel during lunch break, and the plane crashed there. My son is safe, and I have spoken to him. He jumped from the second floor, so he suffered some injuries,” she said.

"When we reached the spot there were several bodies lying around and firefighters were dousing the flames," Poonam Patni told AFP.

"Many of the bodies were burned."

Another resident, who declined to be named, said: "We saw people from the building jumping from the second and third floor to save themselves. The plane was in flames.

"We helped people get out of the building and sent the injured to the hospital."

Fire officer Jayesh Khadia said fire tenders were rushed to douse the blaze. Emergency teams evacuated the injured and transported them to Ahmedabad Civil Hospital. A senior police officer confirmed that 70–80% of the crash site had been cleared and appealed to citizens to cooperate in maintaining a green corridor for ambulances.

The crash has forced a complete suspension of flight operations at SVPIA. “All flights are temporarily suspended until further notice,” an airport spokesperson said.

The Gujarat government has deployed three NDRF teams with 90 personnel from Gandhinagar. The Ahmedabad City Police has released an emergency number: 07925620359 for updates and inquiries.

According to the DGCA, the aircraft crashed at 1:38 pm, shortly after takeoff. Initial data shows the aircraft lost altitude rapidly. Investigations are underway to determine the cause of the crash.