An Air India passenger flight bound for London Gatwick has crashed shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad, in western India, on Thursday afternoon.
The airline confirmed the incident as a “tragic accident” involving 242 people on board, including 53 British nationals and 169 Indian nationals.
What We Know So Far
- Flight AI171 departed from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad at about 1:38pm (India time), and was scheduled to land in London at 6:25pm (BST).
- Less than a minute after departure, the aircraft lost contact with air traffic control.
- Flight data shows the plane reached an altitude of just 625 feet before its signal was lost.
- A Mayday call was issued, but no further response followed.
- Former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani confirmed to be among the passengers aboard.
The front portion of the plane fell on BJ Medical College hostel.
The plane, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, crashed into a residential area called Meghani Nagar in Ahmedabad. Video footage shows thick black smoke rising from the crash site as emergency crews rushed to the scene.
Mayday call to ATC
Captain Sumeet Sabharwal was flying the plane while First Officer Clive Kundar was the co-pilot. The pilot and co-pilot had sent out a Mayday call soon after takeoff.
The Directorate of Civil Aviation (DGCA) confirmed that the co-pilot gave a mayday call to the ATC, but after that,t no response came from the aircraft.
“There were 242 persons on board the aircraft, consisting of 2 pilots and 10 cabin crew. The aircraft was under the command of Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, with First Officer Clive Kundar and Captain Sumeet Sabharwal is an LTC with 8200 hours of experience. The co-pilot had 1100 hours of flying experience. As per ATC, aircraft departed from Ahmadabad at 1338 IST from runway 23,” the statement read.
“It gave a MAYDAY Call to ATC, but thereafter, no response was given by the aircraft to the calls made by ATC. Aircraft immediately after departure from Runway 23, fell on the ground outside the airport perimeter. Heavy black smoke was seen coming from the accident site,” DGCA said.
Rescue Efforts Underway
Emergency responders have launched rescue and relief operations on a “war footing,” said Gujarat’s Chief Minister, Bhupendra Patel. Injured passengers are being transported to nearby hospitals.
All flight operations at Ahmedabad’s airport have been suspended until further notice, officials confirmed.
Air India Chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran said the airline has set up an emergency centre and support teams to assist families of passengers.
“With profound sorrow, I confirm that Air India flight AI171 operating Ahmedabad–London Gatwick was involved in a tragic accident today. Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with the families and loved ones of all those affected by this devastating event.
At this moment, our primary focus is on supporting all the affected people and their families. We are doing everything in our power to assist the emergency response teams at the site and to provide all necessary support and care to those impacted.
“Further updates will be shared as we receive more verified information. An emergency centre has been activated and support teams have been set up for families seeking information,” Chandrasekaran said in an official statement.
Nationalities On Board
Of the 242 passengers and crew, the nationalities included:
- 53 British nationals
- 169 Indian nationals
- 1 Canadian national
- 7 Portuguese nationals
