Source: CNN

In the skies above western India, Air India flight AI171 faced a tragic fate shortly after takeoff. Bound for London, the aircraft barely left Ahmedabad Airport before it started losing altitude and eventually crashed.

A video circulating online captured the aircraft slowly descending behind residential buildings, moments before a massive fireball erupted into the sky.

Tragic Casualties

According to Air India, only one of the 242 people on board survived. The crash also affected those on the ground as the plane struck the BJ Medical College and Hospital hostel. A senior doctor at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital confirmed that at least 290 people have died.

Timeline of the Incident

• 1:39 p.m. - Takeoff

• Flight AI171 departed from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Gujarat.
• The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner was en route to London Gatwick.
• Expected arrival was 6:25 p.m. local time in the UK (1:25 p.m. ET).
• Onboard were 242 people, including:
  • 169 Indian nationals
  • 53 Britons
  • 7 Portuguese
  • 1 Canadian
• The plane used the full 11,499-foot Runway 23 for takeoff.

• Seconds Later - Mayday

• Flight tracking data from FlightRadar24 shows the aircraft reached an altitude of 625 feet (190 meters) before losing signal.
• The descent began at a rate of approximately 475 feet per minute.
• A Mayday call was issued less than one minute after takeoff, according to Indian aviation officials.

• Crash Landing

• A witness video from near the airport perimeter shows the plane struggling to maintain altitude.
• The tail of the aircraft dipped significantly below the nose as it descended.
• The aircraft disappeared behind residential buildings before a massive explosion occurred.
• Other videos showed thick plumes of black smoke rising over the city.

The Aftermath

The wreckage was discovered less than a mile from the airport. The aircraft’s tail was visibly stuck in a concrete structure—part of a hostel for hospital staff. The impact destroyed part of the building, with metal food trays still on tables inside.

Local residents gathered around the crash site as thick smoke billowed from the windows, marking the tragic end of a flight that had barely begun.