Ahmedabad: The ongoing tragedy of the Air India Flight AI-171 crash has brought heartbreaking stories from across India to light. While 241 people on the plane lost their lives, many innocent individuals on the ground also suffered casualties after the Boeing aircraft collided with a residential building near the crash site and burst into flames. Among those ground victims was 14-year-old Akash, who became a victim of the fiery aftermath of the crash.
Akash was sitting near a tea stall next to BJ Medical College, close to where the plane crashed, when a portion of the aircraft struck the area. His mother, who owned a shop beneath the hospital, watched the horrific scene unfold.
“She was sitting near her shop when a part of the plane hit, hitting his head, and then the flames engulfed him,” said his aunt. “His mother tried to rescue him, but the fire spread too quickly. She nearly got caught in the flames herself.”
Locals described the crash site as chaotic and terrifying, with debris and flames spreading through the area, killing not only those on the plane but also innocent bystanders like Akash.
The tragedy also claimed the lives of Neeraj Lavania and Aparna Lavania, a couple from Akola village near Agra, Uttar Pradesh, who were aboard the flight. Their family is now plunged into grief, with Mahendra Kumar Sharma, a family cousin, stating, “They were the children of my uncle. The entire area is in shock. Everyone is devastated.”
Their nephew, Shubham Lavania, expressed the emotional toll of the incident: “We learned about the crash through the news. There’s only grief now. We’re still hoping it’s not true—that they might be injured and being treated. We got the heartbreaking news immediately after the flight went down.”
The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, en route to London-Gatwick, crashed shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad airport on June 12, resulting in the deaths of 241 out of 242 onboard, with one passenger surviving.
Rescue and identification efforts are still ongoing at BJ Medical College, where DNA testing continues to help identify the charred remains.