The tragedy marks a historic low in Indian aviation but also calls for renewed scrutiny of flight safety standards.

Deadliest Civil Aviation Tragedy in Indian History: In a catastrophic aviation disaster that has left the nation shaken, the Air India flight AI171, bound for London from Ahmedabad, crashed shortly after takeoff, claiming the lives of almost all 242 people onboard. The crash has now officially become the deadliest civil airline accident in the history of India. (Ahmedabad Air India Plane Crash Death Toll Latest News Today)

The aircraft, which plunged into the BJ Medical College UG hostel mess in the densely populated Meghani Nagar area, also caused collateral casualties on the ground, with at least five medical students confirmed dead and over 40 others injured. Rescue operations are ongoing, though officials have ruled out the possibility of survivors aboard the plane.

This surpasses the previous record held by Air India Flight 855, which crashed on January 1, 1978, off the coast of Bandra, Mumbai, killing 213 passengers and crew. That incident was attributed to an instrument failure and the spatial disorientation of the captain.

India’s third-worst crash took place on May 22, 2010, when Air India Express Flight 812 overshot the runway on landing at Mangalore Airport, resulting in 158 deaths. Other devastating crashes in Indian aviation history include:

• Indian Airlines Flight 113 (1988): Crashed in Ahmedabad due to pilot error — 130 deaths.
• Indian Airlines Flight 605 (1990): Crashed on approach to Bangalore — 92 deaths.
• Air India Express Flight 1344 (2020): Skidded off runway in Kozhikode — 18 deaths.
• Alliance Air Flight 7412 (2000): Crashed in Patna — 60 deaths.
• Indian Airlines Flight 171 (1976): Caught fire mid-air near Mumbai — 95 deaths.
• Alitalia Flight 771 (1962): Navigation error led to crash northeast of Mumbai — 94 deaths.
• United Arab Airlines Flight 869 (1963): Weather-induced crash near Bombay — 63 deaths.

Despite advancements in aviation safety and infrastructure, the Ahmedabad crash underscores the devastating consequences of failures in air travel, whether technical, human, or otherwise. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has launched an urgent investigation, while Air India has pledged full cooperation and compensation to families.

Tributes continue to pour in from across India and abroad, as the country mourns the loss of passengers, crew members, and innocent lives on the ground, many of whom were young medical students caught unaware during their regular meal hours.

The tragedy not only marks a historic low in Indian aviation but also calls for renewed scrutiny of flight safety standards, emergency preparedness, and urban planning around airports. (Ahmedabad Air India Plane Crash Death Toll Latest News Today)

(For more news apart from Deadliest Civil Aviation Tragedy in Indian History, stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman)