The Boeing 787 Dreamliner, packed with jet fuel, exploded on impact in Meghaninagar, leaving behind a wreckage so severe that only a “few lucky ones” may have survived.
BY PC Bureau
The wreckage of Air India Flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner that crashed into Ahmedabad’s Meghaninagar residential area today, painted a harrowing scene of destruction. The London-bound plane, carrying 242 passengers and crew, exploded into a fireball upon impact, fueled by nearly 80 tonnes of jet fuel. As rescue operations continue, authorities report that most of the bodies recovered from the smoldering debris are so severely charred as to be unrecognizable, complicating identification efforts and deepening the tragedy’s toll. So far, no survivor has been reported.
As of 4:00 PM IST, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams, alongside local fire brigades and police, have retrieved over 150 bodies from the crash site near Forensic Cross Road and IGB Ground in Shahibaug. Sources indicate that the vast majority of these remains are charred beyond recognition, with intense heat from the fuel-driven inferno leaving little intact. Ahmedabad Civil Hospital staff described the condition of the bodies as “heartbreaking,” noting that only DNA analysis may enable identification. Reports said that so 105 far fatalities were confirmed, adding “ survivors would be a few lucky ones.
READ: Bird Strike or Engine failure May Have Triggered Ahmedabad Plane Crash: Experts
The fire, which consumed the aircraft after it struck an airport perimeter wall shortly after takeoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, has been largely extinguished. However, toxic smoke and unstable wreckage continue to hamper recovery efforts. NDRF personnel, equipped with protective gear, are meticulously sifting through the debris, but the extent of the charring has made it nearly impossible to visually identify victims, including high-profile passengers like former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, whose fate remains unknown.
READ:
1/
Air India flight AI-171 to London, Plane Crash during takeoff in Meghani Nagar, Ahmedabad, Gujarat. ~242 passengers on board.Thick smoke reported; fire brigade, emergency teams on site. Cause unknown, injuries reported. Rescue ops ongoing. #Ahmedabad #PlaneCrash pic.twitter.com/AExntYfdBy
— GeoTechWar (@geotechwar) June 12, 2025
Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu, speaking at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital, called the scene “devastating” and pledged support for families facing the agonizing wait for identification. Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, on-site since the crash, is coordinating with forensic teams to expedite the process. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a post on X, expressed grief over the “heart-wrenching loss of lives,” emphasizing government assistance for victims’ families. Air India’s toll-free helpline (1800-XXX-XXXX) is fielding desperate calls from relatives seeking clarity amid the chaos.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is investigating the cause of the crash, with early reports suggesting a possible tail strike during takeoff. However, the focus for now remains on the recovery of remains and the slim hope of finding survivors. Hospital sources stressed that only “miraculously lucky” passengers or crew could have survived the inferno, given the catastrophic nature of the blaze.
READ: Former CM Vijay Rupani was Vijay Was on Crashed Air India Flight
