A horrifying accident during a routine flight landing in Ahmedabad has killed all 274 passengers. This humanitarian disaster began when Captain Sumeet Sabharwal issued a mayday call only seven minutes into his initial ascent. The incident occurred on a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner that took off from Ahmedabad airport at 1:39 PM. Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu provided updates during a press briefing, highlighting the tragic loss of life and ongoing investigations into the crash.
The plane only climbed to an altitude of 650 feet. Then it apparently lost control and crashed into a hostel just two kilometers from the airport. In an even more tragic outcome, from the collision, at least three student doctors and one heavily pregnant woman died. In addition, at least 5 other laborers and vendors who happened to be in the area lost their lives.
Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, the last passenger to exit the crash, on his way out. He is presently under medical treatment in a hospital in Ahmedabad. Medical professionals have called his survival nothing but a “miracle.” Those in charge of overseeing the cleanup and demolition are reportedly still investigating the debris. Families of victims are waiting at Ahmedabad’s Civil Hospital praying for the lives of their loved ones.
Anil Patel, carrying the weight of his son’s tragic loss, shared his grief over Harshit’s passing at only 30 years of age. He further expressed sympathy on the death of his daughter-in-law Pooja, 28. He lamented the situation, stating, “Even yesterday, when I was sitting outside the postmortem block, I could smell the stench of charred bodies from inside.”
He continued, expressing his anguish by saying, “It’s hard to accept that my son is lying in there. I just want to bring them home soon. The longer they stay there, the more they’ll deteriorate. I just can’t bear the thought.”
A four person UK team of fire aviation accident specialists have now landed in Ahmedabad. They’re there to help partner agencies investigate what caused the crash in the first place. Rep. Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu made it clear that he wants to know a lot more about what happened. To this end, he argued that cracking open this black box will shed profound light. These insights will help us understand exactly what happened during the crash process by providing unique perspectives to the time-based data.
While investigators continue to sift through the wreckage, their first priority is the painstaking process of identifying victims. An official stated, “We are dealing with at least 250 samples, and for each match, we have to cross-verify it against this entire pool. It’s a process of elimination, and that naturally takes time.” As federal officials carry out their detailed work, families still wait for clarity on next steps.
The Indian aviation authorities have pledged to finish a preliminary review of the event in three months. As investigations continue, law enforcement and safety officials hope to understand how we arrived at this needless tragedy.