Ahmedabad Tragedy: In-depth Investigation Essential to Prevent Such Disasters

In a heart-wrenching tragedy on Friday afternoon, an Air India flight A-1171 bound for London crashed just minutes after takeoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad (Gujarat), resulting in the deaths of 241 passengers. Among the deceased was former Chief Minister of Gujarat, Vijay Rupani. Over two dozen doctors also lost their lives, while several other injured passengers are undergoing treatment in hospitals. One passenger, seated on 11A—Ramesh Vishwas Kumar—miraculously survived and has since been discharged after treatment.

The ill-fated flight was carrying 53 British nationals, 7 from Portugal, 1 from Canada, 169 Indian citizens, and 12 crew members. The tragic loss of former Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, who was on seat 2-D en route to visit his daughter in London, was first confirmed by Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Patil.

Twelve passengers from Rajasthan were on board, including five members of a single family from the Bhatt Mewada community of Banswara-Dungarpur—Dr. Jay Prakash Joshi and Dr. Anita Joshi’s son, daughter-in-law, and grandchildren: Prateek Joshi, Dr. Koni Vyas, Miraya Joshi, Pradyut Joshi, and Nakul Joshi. Others who perished included Khushboo Rajpurohit, a newlywed daughter-in-law from Kharabera Purohitan village in Jodhpur; Payal Khatik from Gogunda, Udaipur who was headed to London for higher studies; and four other Udaipur residents—Shubh Modi, Shagun Modi, Vardichand Menaria, and Prakashchand Menaria.

According to reports, the aircraft crashed into the building and hostel of a medical college situated near the Sabarmati River moments after takeoff. Initial indications suggest that an emergency situation arose shortly after liftoff, prompting the pilot to send an SOS to the Air Traffic Control (ATC), but the aircraft could not be saved. Some students and doctors at the medical college were among the casualties or suffered serious injuries.

President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, and several other leaders have expressed profound condolences. From Rajasthan, Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati, Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, and Assembly Speaker Vasudev Devnani also extended their sympathies.

Following the tragedy, Home Minister Amit Shah and Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu immediately flew to Ahmedabad on the Prime Minister's orders to oversee rescue and relief operations. PM Modi is also expected to visit the site later in the day.

Rescue efforts led by NDRF and other agencies are still underway. The injured are being treated at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital. Air India has set up a helpline—18005691444—and Tata Group has announced an ex-gratia of ₹1 crore for each bereaved family. Both Central and State Governments have pledged compensation for the victims’ families and injured survivors.

DNA testing is being used to identify the deceased. The scale of this tragedy has shocked the nation. Condolences continue to pour in from all corners, with citizens expressing deep sorrow.

India has not witnessed such a catastrophic air crash in recent years. Despite technological advancements and highly trained pilots minimizing such occurrences, this disaster underscores the need for stringent safety measures. A comprehensive investigation is being undertaken to determine the cause and prevent recurrence of such unfortunate incidents.