The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, carrying as many as 242 people, including former Chief Minister of Gujarat Vijay Rupani, took off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Airport at 1.38 pm and crashed within five minutes into a residential locality in Meghani Nagar, just outside the airport perimeter.
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More than 200 people are feared killed after an Air India plane, AI 171, en route from Ahmedabad to London’s Gatwick Airport, crashed minutes after takeoff on Thursday afternoon, in one of the worst air disasters in India.
The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, carrying as many as 242 people, including former Chief Minister of Gujarat Vijay Rupani, took off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Airport at 1.38 pm and crashed within five minutes into a residential locality in Meghani Nagar, just outside the airport perimeter.
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The former Gujarat CM was also killed in the unfortunate incident.
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According to Air India, there were 169 Indians, 53 British, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian, apart from two pilots and ten crew members on board the ill-fated aircraft. The crash resulted in a thick black smoke engulfing the area and widespread panic among residents.
The Ahmedabad Police and other local authorities swung into action immediately and launched massive rescue and relief operations. However, no official confirmation has been issued regarding casualties or survivors in the crash. There were fears that some in Meghani Nagar, where the plane crashed, could be among those killed. Multiple visuals from the site show severe damage to buildings and the aircraft’s fuselage embedded into a hostel structure.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) confirmed that the aircraft issued a “Mayday” call moments after takeoff, after which radio contact was lost. Initial assessments suggest the possibility of multiple bird hits leading to engine failure, but officials stress that a detailed investigation will determine the exact cause.
The flight was under the command of Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, a senior pilot with 8,200 flying hours, and First Officer Clive Kundar, who had logged 1,100 hours.
The DGCA, in an official statement, said: “The aircraft crashed into a residential area five minutes after takeoff. A team comprising Assistant Directors of Airworthiness and a Flight Operations Inspector was already present in Ahmedabad and is collecting information at the site.”
According to an online flight tracking website Flight Radar, the Air India flight was scheduled to fly from Ahmedabad International Airport to London Gatwick Airport at 09:50 local time. Its scheduled arrival time was 18:25 local time.
The signal was lost at 10:08 local time at 625 feet, less than a minute after take-off, it added.
After the accident, the DG Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau stated that an investigation went to Ahmedabad to examine the exact cause of the accident.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Home Minister Amit Shah and Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu. He has asked them to go to Ahmedabad and ensure all possible assistance is extended to those affected in the wake of the air mishap.
Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke to the Gujarat Chief Minister, Home Minister, and the Police Commissioner regarding the plane crash.
He also arrived at the site to take stock of the ongoing relief and rescue operations.
Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu visited the site of the crash to assess the situation.
Arriving amid ongoing rescue and relief efforts, the minister took stock of the damage, interacted with officials on the ground, and reviewed emergency response measures.
Air India CEO and Managing Director Campbell Wilson expressed deep sorrow over the tragic crash of Flight AI171, which took place shortly after its take-off from Ahmedabad.
In his first statement since the accident, Wilson called it a “difficult day” for the airline and assured that all efforts are now focused on helping passengers, crew members and their families.
In a video message shared on social media platform X, Wilson said, “This is a difficult day for all of us at Air India. Our efforts are now focused entirely on the needs of our passengers, crew members, their families and loved ones.”
Meanwhile, the Western Railway announced that it will run two Superfast Special trains from Ahmedabad to Delhi and Mumbai to ease the passenger traffic.
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