When The Dreamliner Crashed: A First-Hand Account Of Last Year's Air India-171 Tragedy In Ahmedabad
On the anniversary of the Air India Flight AI-171 Dreamliner mishap in Ahmedabad, Paresh Dave recounts the horror of reporting from the crash site.
Published : June 11, 2026 at 10:52 PM IST
|Updated : June 12, 2026 at 9:14 AM IST
Ahmedabad: It was another summer afternoon in Ahmedabad on June 12, 2025, when local residents noticed thick plumes of smoke rising above the skyline of the city.
At first, it seemed like a routine fire call but soon it turned out to be far more serious - the deadliest aviation disaster India has witnessed so far.
I was at the Gujarat Bureau office, planning coverage for Ahmedabad's historic Rath Yatra, when calls began coming in about heavy smoke near Civil Hospital. Initially, television channels reported it as a major fire. But something felt different. Having covered numerous fire incidents over the years, the colour and intensity of the smoke suggested this was no ordinary blaze. In fact, I thought it could be a missile strike given the India-Pakistan tension during Operation Sindoor.
Moments later came the first official confirmation from airport authorities. "Air India Flight AI-171. Two hundred and forty-two people on board. Crashed near Civil Hospital."
The aircraft had taken off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport and crashed seconds later into the hostel mess building of BJ Medical College.
I immediately sent reporters and headed toward the crash site myself. There were emergency vehicles speeding through the city. Hundreds of meters were covered with the smell of aviation fuel. Ambulance sirens, firefighters radio calls and the cries of relatives searching for loved ones. It was a moment of tragedy.
When I reached the spot, all I could witness is twisted metals, shattered lives, and haunting images that would remain etched in memory forever.
Inside the crash compound, the destruction was unbearable. Rescue teams were trying to pull the bodies, firefighters battled to reduce the flames. Bodies were recovered from the debris and sent to Civil Hospital. Amidst this, parts of the aircraft continued to burn long after the crash. Most victims were unrecognisable. Looking at the positions of the bodies, it appeared they fought to survive till the last moment.
The rescue workers continued operations late into the night searching for survivors. What affected me the most was the dining table of the hostel when students were eating lunch when the aircraft struck. There was fire in the hostel and the tail of the airplane was stuck in the building. I saw plates of food, drinking cups still lying on the floor.
Apart from the tragedy at hand, operational challenges also made the disaster response difficult. Crowd control was one of the biggest challenges. Many visitors entered the area merely to record videos and take photographs, which further complicated the rescue efforts. Throughout the day, several senior leaders including Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel visited the site.
By evening, authorities had transferred the bodies of the victims to the mortuary while dozens of injured individuals continued receiving treatment. With the sunset, recovery operations wound down and an eerie silence settled over the crash site.
Soon, an eerie silence settled over the crash site. Those who witnessed the incident firsthand can never forget it. As the Dreamliner crashed, with it, hundreds of dreams were shattered forever.
Read More:
