What Happened in the Air India Plane Crash? 14-Year-Old Boy Among Victims as Fire Engulfs Tea Stall Near Crash Site

Synopsis
The tragic Air India Flight AI-171 crash has left a trail of grief, claiming the lives of 241 individuals onboard and innocent bystanders on the ground, including a 14-year-old boy. Discover the heart-wrenching stories of those affected by this disaster and the ongoing rescue efforts.
Key Takeaways
- The Air India Flight AI-171 tragedy resulted in 241 fatalities.
- A 14-year-old boy, Akash, was among the victims on the ground.
- The crash site was chaotic, with debris spreading across the area.
- Families of the victims are grieving and seeking closure.
- Ongoing rescue operations are focused on identifying the deceased.
New Delhi, June 13 (NationPress) The devastating incident involving Air India Flight AI-171 is unveiling a series of heart-wrenching stories from across the nation. Tragically, in addition to the 241 individuals onboard the ill-fated flight who lost their lives, numerous innocent bystanders on the ground are believed to have been killed as the Boeing aircraft collided with a residential structure, erupting into flames. Among those casualties was 14-year-old Akash, who became a victim of the inferno that followed the crash.
Akash was sitting near a tea stall adjacent to BJ Medical College, close to where the airplane went down, when debris from the aircraft struck the area. His mother, who operated a shop beneath the hospital, witnessed the horrifying events unfold.
“He was sitting there near the shop when a piece of the plane crashed down, striking his head before flames consumed him,” his aunt recalled. “His mother attempted to rescue him, but the fire spread with alarming speed. She almost became a victim herself.”
Witnesses described the crash site as a scene filled with chaos and dread, as wreckage and flames raged through the vicinity, claiming lives not only of those onboard but also of innocent individuals like Akash.
Another family grieving the loss is that of Neeraj Lavania and Aparna Lavania, a couple from Akola village, near Agra, Uttar Pradesh. Both lost their lives aboard Flight AI-171.
The Lavania family's ancestral home in Akola is now steeped in sorrow. Mahendra Kumar Sharma, a cousin, expressed: “They were the children of my uncle. The entire community is in shock and mourning.”
Their nephew Shubham Lavania shared the emotional devastation: “We found out about the crash through the news. Our family is engulfed in grief. We are still holding onto hope that this news is false, that they may be injured and receiving medical attention. We received the news immediately after the flight went down.”
The Air India 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 of the 242 people onboard. Remarkably, one passenger survived.
Rescue and identification efforts are ongoing at BJ Medical College, where DNA sampling continues to assist in identifying the charred remains.