A tragic crash took place on Thursday when an Air India flight carrying 242 people crashed just minutes after taking off from the Ahmedabad airport. The aircraft, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner operating as Flight 171, was headed to London Gatwick before the fatal accident occurred.
Officials from India’s aviation department confirmed that the plane went down shortly after issuing a mayday signal. It crashed outside the airport boundary in a densely populated area of the city, raising concerns about casualties on the ground as well.
Witnesses near the airport reported hearing a loud sound, followed by smoke and flames. “Thick black smoke could be seen rising high above the airport,” said a journalist from AFP who was present at the scene.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) stated that the flight had two pilots and ten cabin crew members, in addition to the 230 passengers. “There were 242 person on board,” the DGCA confirmed in a statement.
Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu, India’s Minister of Civil Aviation, visited the crash site shortly after the incident. He noted that all emergency services were quickly deployed to help with rescue and recovery operations.
“Rescue teams have been mobilised, and all efforts are being made to ensure medical aid and relief support are being rushed to the site,” he said. “My thoughts and prayers are with all those on board and their families.”
Air India also confirmed the crash in a public statement. “With profound sorrow I confirm that Air India Flight 171 operating Ahmedabad (to) London Gatwick was involved in a tragic accident today,” said airline chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran.
“Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with the families and loved ones of all those affected by this devastating event.”
He also mentioned that an emergency support team had been set up to assist the families and provide updates.
The crash in Ahmedabad is the latest in a series of aviation tragedies in India. In 2010, an Air India Express flight crashed while landing in Mangalore, killing 158 people.
Another deadly crash took place in 1985 when a Montreal-to-London Air India flight exploded over the Atlantic Ocean, resulting in 329 deaths. Investigations later found that a bomb was planted on board.
