Ahmedabad Air India plane crash tragedy to teamwork: Gujarat's emergency response sets model of coordination

Account subscription benefits alongside Premium Stories, Editorials, Opinions and more. Unlock these with Subscription

The View From India Looking at World Affairs from the Indian perspective.

First Day First Show News and reviews from the world of cinema and streaming.

Today's Cache Your download of the top 5 technology stories of the day.

Data Point Decoding the headlines with facts, figures, and numbers

Health Matters Ramya Kannan writes to you on getting to good health, and staying there

The Hindu On Books Books of the week, reviews, excerpts, new titles and features.

The wreckage of the ill-fated London-bound Air India flight on the rooftop of the doctors' hostel, in Ahmedabad. File | Photo Credit: ANI

A year after the AI171 plane crash in Ahmedabad claimed 260 lives, officials recalled how, amid an unimaginable situation, the city mounted one of its largest emergency responses, swiftly coordinating medical requirements and mobilising trauma teams.

Ahmedabad plane crash: Families of AI 171 crash victims grapple with flight fears, anxiety

As many bodies were charred beyond recognition, officials quickly turned to DNA matching as the only reliable way to identify the deceased, with forensic teams working round-the-clock alongside other experts to ensure dignified handling of the victims. The Ahmedabad Civil Hospital campus overflowed with people, NGOs, and volunteers supporting grieving families, as officials remembered the scene and prayed such a tragedy would never recur.

Due to the coordinated efforts of doctors, the Health Department, police, NGOs, relief teams, and the Fire Department, the situation was systematically managed in a short period, Ahmedabad Civil Hospital's medical superintendent Rakesh Joshi told PTI. “Within hours of the crash, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi and Health Minister Rushikesh Patel arrived at the hospital and reviewed the arrangements,” he said.

On June 12 last year, the London-bound Air India flight AI-171 crashed into the hostel complex of BJ Medical College in the Meghaninagar area moments after taking off from the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, killing 241 persons on board and 19 on the ground, and just one passenger survived.

For doctors at the Ahmedabad Civil Hospital, the day had begun like any other. “We never imagined we would witness something like this in our lifetime,” recalled Mr. Joshi, who was in the middle of a complex pediatric surgery when the first alert came in about smoke rising near the hostel area. Within seconds came the shocking confir