Air India Flight AI171 Destined for U.K. Crashes Shortly After Take-Off
An Air India plane destined for the U.K. crashed at Ahmedabad airport in India's northwestern Gujarat state with hundreds of passengers on board. The cause of the crash was not immediately known, but Air India called it an "accident". A flight tracking website showed Flight AI171 destined for London Gatwick Airport departing around the time of the accident. The flight's path ends immediately after taking off, FlightRadar24 shows. The aircraft is a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner. Air India confirmed the flight was involved in "an accident today after take-off" and was carrying 242 passengers and crew members on board.
"Of these, 169 are Indian nationals, 53 are British nationals, 1 Canadian national and 7 Portuguese nationals," Air India said in a statement posted to X. "The injured are being taken to the nearest hospitals."
Faiz Ahmed Kidwai, director general of the directorate of civil aviation, said the plane had crashed into a residential area called Meghani Nagar. Video footage from the scene immediately after showed a large plume of thick black smoke. Other footage from a little later showed the smouldering remains of the plane and charred, damaged buildings. London Gatwick Airport confirmed that the crashed Flight AI171 was due to land there at 18:25 local time.
India's Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu said he was "shocked and devastated" by the crash. "We are on highest alert. I am personally monitoring the situation and have directed all aviation and emergency response agencies to take swift and coordinated action," the minister posted to X. "Rescue teams have been mobilised, and all efforts are being made to ensure medical aid and relief support are being rushed to the site. My thoughts and prayers are with all those on board and their families."
Air India's chairman, Natarajan Chandrasekaran, said at the moment "our primary focus is on supporting all the affected people and their families." He said on X that the airline had set up an emergency center and support team for families seeking information about those who were on the flight. "Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with the families and loved ones of all those affected by this devastating event," he said.
The 787 Dreamliner is a widebody, twin-engine plane. This is the first crash ever of a Boeing 787 aircraft, according to the Aviation Safety Network database. The aircraft was introduced in 2009 and more than 1,000 have been delivered to dozens of airlines, according to Flightradar24. Boeing's stock fell sharply on the news of the crash involving one of its planes. This article includes reporting by The Associated Press.
