Tragedy struck on Thursday when Air India Flight 171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner en route to London, crashed shortly after taking off.
The ill-fated commercial flight departed from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad, the capital of Gujarat State, carrying 242 people—including two pilots and ten cabin crew members—before it crashed in what authorities have described as a “tragic accident.
”According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the aircraft sent out a mayday signal moments before it “crashed immediately after takeoff,” coming down just beyond the airport’s perimeter.
Eyewitnesses and reporters on the ground described scenes of chaos, with thick plumes of black smoke billowing into the sky as emergency responders rushed to the crash site.
India’s Minister of Civil Aviation, Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu, has expressed his shock and sorrow over the devastating crash.
The densely populated area surrounding Ahmedabad’s airport has raised concerns about potential additional casualties beyond those aboard the flight, though official confirmation of fatalities or survivors had not been provided at the time of reporting.
Air India has acknowledged the tragedy, describing the incident as “devastating.” The airline has stated that it is fully cooperating with emergency response teams and government authorities in the ongoing efforts to manage the crisis.
