Air India flight AI171 that crashed in Ahmedabad had 53 Britons, 7 Portuguese, 1 Canadian among 242 onboard

The Air India flight AI171 that crashed immediately after takeoff in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, on Thursday, was carrying 242 passengers and crew, including 169 Indians, 53 Britishers, one Canadian, and seven Portuguese nationals.

According to an official statement Air India shared on X, the flight AI171, which was operating from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, crashed after takeoff.

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“The flight, which departed from Ahmedabad at 1338 hrs, was carrying 242 passengers and crew members on board the Boeing 787-8 aircraft. Of these, 169 are Indian nationals, 53 are British nationals, 1 Canadian national, and 7 Portuguese nationals,” Air India said.

The aircraft crashed near Forensic Cross Road in Meghaninagar, Ahmedabad, Gujarat. After the crash, a huge plume of thick black smoke was seen rising into the sky. A nearby building also caught fire as white powdery material got scattered all over the ground.

Emergency response teams are on the ground carrying out rescue and relief work. Several fire brigade vehicles are also on the spot, trying to douse the flames.

The injured are being taken to the nearest hospitals. Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel has instructed officials to create green corridors to shift the injured to hospitals.

Meanwhile, Air India has also set up a dedicated passenger hotline number 1800 5691 444 for the family members of the passengers seeking information.

The airline said that it was giving its full cooperation to the authorities investigating this incident.