Eyewitnesses described scenes of horror as the plane struck a residential building, its tail section ripping through the roof of a nearby structure. Flames and thick black smoke engulfed the crash site as emergency crews rushed to respond. Firefighters battled intense heat and burning jet fuel while trying to contain the blaze and prevent it from spreading to adjacent buildings.
Tragically, the aircraft also crashed into the dining hall of a local medical college. Five students on the ground were killed, and over 50 others suffered injuries, many of them critical. Indian Army personnel quickly joined relief efforts, helping clear debris and search for survivors, though none were found alive.
Flight AI-171 was carrying passengers from various nationalities, including 169 Indian citizens, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese travelers, and one Canadian. The identities of the victims have not yet been officially released, pending notification of next of kin.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has launched a full-scale investigation into the crash. Aviation experts say recovering the aircraft’s black box flight recorders will be key to understanding what caused the sudden failure.
As the nation mourns this profound loss, flags have been lowered to half-mast, and condolences are pouring in from around the world.