An Air India passenger plane, designated as flight AI 171, tragically crashed on Thursday in Ahmedabad, India, shortly after taking off. The Boeing 787-8, carrying 244 individuals, including 232 passengers and 12 crew members, had embarked on a journey to London’s Gatwick Airport when it encountered disaster just five minutes post-takeoff at 1:38 PM local time.
Reports from local media and the airline indicated that the aircraft veered off course and crashed into the Meghani Nagar residential area, situated near the airport in Ahmedabad, which is home to over 5 million residents. Visual footage broadcasted by regional television networks showed thick smoke emanating from the crash site, indicating the severity of the incident.
Faiz Ahmed Kidwai, the director general of the Directorate of Civil Aviation, confirmed details about the accident to The Associated Press. He noted that the crash occurred in a populated area, raising concerns about potential casualties beyond those onboard. Following the incident, Gatwick Airport released a statement on their social media platform, X, acknowledging the situation and confirming the flight’s scheduled arrival of 6:25 PM in London had effectively been thwarted due to the crash.
The Indian Civil Aviation Minister, Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu, took to X to announce the mobilization of rescue teams, emphasizing that all necessary medical aid and relief efforts were being coordinated at the crash site. "We are on highest alert. I am personally monitoring the situation," he stated, underscoring the urgency and seriousness of the response to this critical aviation disaster.
Notably, this incident marks a significant event in aviation history, as it is reported to be the first crash of a Boeing 787 aircraft. The 787 Dreamliner, a widely used widebody, twin-engine airplane, was first introduced in 2009, and to date, over 1,000 units have been delivered to numerous airlines worldwide, according to data provided by flightradar24.
The circumstances surrounding the crash are currently under investigation, with authorities likely to focus on understanding the factors that led to this unprecedented tragedy. Given the implications of such an event on aviation safety and regulations, further information is expected to emerge as rescue and recovery efforts continue.
