There were 242 people on board, including 2 pilots and 10 cabin crew members.
Aircraft crashes in Ahmedabad’s Meghani Nagar after takeoff; Rescue Teams Mobilised, Airport Operations Suspended
Air India Plane Crashes At Ahmedabad Airport in Gujarat latest news: An Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft (VT-ANB), operating flight AI-171 from Ahmedabad to London (Gatwick), crashed shortly after takeoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport (SVPIA), Ahmedabad, on Thursday afternoon. The aircraft took off at 1:39 PM IST (0809 UTC) from Runway 23 and crashed within five minutes in a residential area of Meghani Nagar, just outside the airport perimeter.
There were 242 people on board, including 2 pilots and 10 cabin crew members.
The aircraft reportedly issued a MAYDAY call to Air Traffic Control (ATC), but no further communication was received thereafter. Thick black smoke was seen billowing from the crash site.
According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the aircraft was under the command of Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, a Line Training Captain (LTC) with 8,200 hours of flying experience. First Officer Clive Kundar, the co-pilot, had logged 1,100 flying hours.
Officials from the Directorate of Airworthiness (DAW), Assistant Directors of Airworthiness (ADAO), and one Flight Operations Inspector (FOI), who were already present in Ahmedabad for other duties, have been assigned to investigate the incident.
Following the crash, SVPIA has been temporarily shut down, and all flight operations have been suspended until further notice, a spokesperson for the airport confirmed.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has spoken with Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, assuring full central assistance. The Chief Minister said he has directed authorities to prioritize rescue and relief efforts and to set up a green corridor for transporting injured passengers to hospitals.
Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), said he is personally monitoring the situation and has directed all aviation and emergency agencies to take swift and coordinated action.
"I am shocked and devastated to learn about the Air India flight crash in Ahmedabad. We are on the highest alert. Rescue teams have been mobilised, and all efforts are being made to ensure medical aid and relief support are rushed to the site," he stated.
Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel also posted on X,a"I am deeply saddened by the incident. I have instructed officials to carry out immediate rescue and relief work and arrange for urgent medical treatment for the injured passengers. A green corridor is being established for their swift transfer to hospitals."
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