Asger Risom
Residents recount moments of chaos after the aircraft fell on a residential building minutes after takeoff.
As families rush to hospitals in Ahmedabad, the scale of human loss and trauma following the crash of an Air India flight is still being uncovered.
The aircraft, carrying 242 people bound for London, crashed shortly after departing from the western Indian city.
It slammed into a densely populated neighborhood, trapping residents under debris and sending shockwaves through the community.
“My Son Jumped From the Second Floor to Survive”
One of the most harrowing testimonies comes from Ramila, whose son was inside a residential dormitory for medical staff when the plane crashed into the building. “He had just gone in for his lunch break,” she said.
“Then the crash happened. He jumped from the second floor.” According to her account, reported by Digi24, her son was injured but is expected to recover.
Rescue workers at the site confirmed that at least 30 bodies have been recovered so far. With people still trapped under the rubble, the death toll is expected to rise. Eyewitnesses describe a fireball erupting above the residential area, followed by screams and the sound of collapsing concrete.
Families Await News at City Hospitals
Poonam Patel told ANI that his sister-in-law was a passenger on the doomed flight. “Within an hour, we received news that the aircraft had gone down,” he said. Like many others, he rushed to local hospitals in search of answers.
The plane was headed for London’s Gatwick Airport and carried 169 Indian citizens and 60 Europeans, according to initial reports.
The crash raises fresh questions about air safety protocols and response readiness in densely populated zones near major airports.
Authorities continue search and rescue efforts while forensic teams work to identify victims. For now, the city is gripped by grief, shock—and a growing list of unanswered questions.