Tragedy in the air. An Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad airport today, bound for London with 242 people on board.
Details of the air disaster
Air India flight AI171 took off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel airport in Ahmedabad at around 10:08 local time. The aircraft was heading for London’s Gatwick airport, but just one minute after takeoff it disappeared from radar at an altitude of only 625 feet.
The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed in the densely populated residential area of Meghani Nagar, right next to the airport’s ring road. Thick clouds of black smoke rising from the crash site are visible from a distance.
Video from the crash
Passengers on board the aircraft
A total of 242 people were on board – 232 passengers and 12 crew members. Among the travelers were:
- 169 citizens of India
- 53 citizens of the United Kingdom
- 7 citizens of Portugal
- 1 citizen of Canada
Among the passengers were 217 adults and 11 children. The aircraft had a capacity of 256 seats.
Rescue operation underway
Response of the emergency services
Firefighters, police and rescue teams immediately rushed to the crash site. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams were also deployed. However, the dense smoke is significantly hampering rescue efforts.
Response of the authorities
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah have been informed of the situation. Civil Aviation Minister Rammohan Naidu travelled to the crash site to oversee the rescue operation.
Impact on air traffic
Ahmedabad airport has been closed until further notice. All flight operations have been suspended until the circumstances of the crash are clarified.
The cause of the crash remains unknown. Teams from the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) have been sent to the scene. This is one of the deadliest air disasters in India in recent years.
Update
The latest reports from Ahmedabad are bringing more and more details about the Air India crash. According to the most recent accounts, the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed near the dormitory of a medical college in the Meghani Nagar district, causing panic among students and college staff. Preliminary reports speak of at least 40 students who have been listed as missing – some witnesses claim they saw burned bodies in the ruins of the building.
Both rescue services and local authorities are still carrying out search and rescue operations, however the intense fire and the large amount of fuel on board the aircraft are hampering work at the site. At this time, the official death toll has not yet been confirmed, although media reports say at least 30 bodies have already been found in one of the buildings.
Most of the passengers and crew were citizens of India, the United Kingdom, Portugal and Canada, but the tragic consequences of the disaster have also affected the local community, including students and residents of neighbouring houses.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation and international investigative teams, including Boeing experts, are preparing for a detailed investigation into the causes of the accident.
Both local authorities and the central government stress that the priority now is helping those affected and supporting the families of the victims. All flights to and from Ahmedabad remain suspended until further notice.
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