AHMEDABAD: A tragic aviation incident occurred today when an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, carrying 242 passengers, crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad airport en route to London.
The aircraft went down between 1 pm and 2 pm in the Meghaninagar area, near the airport premises.
The airline confirmed the incident through a statement, identifying the flight as AI 171 operating from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick.
Fire officials responded quickly to the scene after the crash, with fire tenders rushing to extinguish the flames. Fire officer Jayesh Khadia reported that the plane caught fire immediately after crashing.
At least 30 bodies have been recovered from a building at the site of the crash, rescue personnel at the site said. More people were trapped inside, the rescue workers said.
“The building on which it has crashed is a doctor’s hostel… we have cleared almost 70 percent to 80 percent of the area and will clear the rest soon,” a senior police officer told reporters.
The 242 people included 217 adults and 11 children, a source told Reuters. Of them, 169 were Indian nationals, 53 were Britons, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian, Air India said.
According to air traffic control at Ahmedabad airport, the aircraft departed at 1:39 pm local time (08:09 GMT) from runway 23. The crew issued a “Mayday” call, signaling an emergency, but subsequent communication from the aircraft was lost, raising concerns about the severity of the incident.
Authorities are still investigating the cause of the accident. Ahmedabad Police Commissioner GS Malik stated, “It is not yet clear what type of aircraft it was,” though the airline has identified it as a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner.
CONDEMNATIONS ON INCIDENT
INDIAN PRIME MINISTER NARENDRA MODI
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday he was shocked by the crash.
“The tragedy in Ahmedabad has stunned and saddened us. It is heartbreaking beyond words,” Modi said in a message posted on social media site X after the Air India flight crashed near the city in western India.
“In this sad hour, my thoughts are with everyone affected by it,” he said, adding he had “been in touch with ministers and authorities who are working to assist those affected.”
U.S. PRIME MINITER KEIR STARMER
US Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the scenes of the plane crash “devastating,” adding, “My thoughts are with the passengers and their families.”
“The scenes emerging of a London-bound plane carrying many British nationals crashing in the Indian city of Ahmedabad are devastating,” Starmer said in a statement issued by his Downing Street office.
“My thoughts are with the passengers and their families at this deeply distressing time.”
U.S. FOREIGN MINISTER DAVID LAMMY
U.S. foreign minister David Lammy wrote on X that he was “deeply saddened by news of a devastating plane crash in Ahmedabad.”
“My thoughts are with all those affected,” he added. “The US is working with local authorities in India to urgently establish the facts and provide support.”
Speaking in Parliament later on, Lammy said the US had activated a crisis team in both India’s capital, New Delhi, and in London.
