Ahmedabad plane crash: ‘It looked like a bomb blast at first,’ says witness

As investigations continue into the tragic Air India crash in Ahmedabad, eyewitness accounts from local residents reveal the sheer devastation on the ground.

Mitul, a resident who witnessed the crash unfold in real time, spoke to The Federal’s G Ganapathy Subramaniam about the terrifying moments, the rescue efforts, and the unanswered questions surrounding the scale of the loss — especially of children.

Where were you when the crash happened?

I was standing outside a shop directly opposite the crash site. I live in this area, so I know how low planes fly here regularly. But this one flew even lower. It almost touched a tree and then struck the building in front of it.

Were there people around when it happened?

Yes, there were students walking to the hostel dining hall and many children playing in the area. About 15 to 20 other people were nearby at that time.

Also read: Chaos at Ahmedabad morgue as staff struggles to address issues | Exclusive

Can you describe the building that the plane hit?

It was a three-storey building. The third floor was completely destroyed in the crash. The nose of the plane hit the doctors’ quarters. Doctors lived there with their families.

Was the building gutted by the fire?

Yes, it was completely burnt. The nose of the plane crashed into the structure, and there was a massive fire. People thought it was a bomb blast and came running out of their homes.

What did you see immediately after the crash?

We rushed towards the crash site thinking some students might still be alive. Some were shouting for help, so we pulled them out. There was an airhostess — we couldn’t recover her body, only her leg was found. Many of the bodies were badly damaged, some without limbs.

Also read: Survivors of past plane crashes recall events with horror and gratitude

When did the official rescue teams arrive?

We didn’t wait. My friends and I went in and started recovering the bodies ourselves. We sent the ones we found in ambulances and police vehicles.

Did others from the neighbourhood also join the rescue efforts?

Yes, people from the area responded immediately. Many came to help without waiting for official instructions.

How many people do you think were rescued?

We were able to rescue at least 30 to 40 people. Even now, the government doesn’t know the actual death toll.

Also read: Two crashes, 2 survivors: Is 11A indeed the safest seat in a plane?

What about the children? Has there been any update from the authorities?

No one is talking enough about the children. We pulled out many of their bodies ourselves. There's still no clarity from the government on how many children have died.

Were there others in the building when it collapsed?

Yes. Many people were working there. The building was under redevelopment, so there were several workers present at the site.

(The content above has been generated using a fine-tuned AI model. To ensure accuracy, quality, and editorial integrity, we employ a Human-In-The-Loop (HITL) process. While AI assists in creating the initial draft, our experienced editorial team carefully reviews, edits, and refines the content before publication. At The Federal, we combine the efficiency of AI with the expertise of human editors to deliver reliable and insightful journalism.)