An Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner bound for London Gatwick crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad on Thursday, killing all 242 people on board in what the airline described as a “tragic accident.”
The flight, AI 171, issued a mayday call before plunging to the ground outside the airport perimeter, according to India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation. Thick plumes of black smoke were visible over the airport as emergency teams rushed to the scene in Ahmedabad, Gujarat’s largest city with a population of eight million.
India’s Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu expressed shock at the disaster: “I am shocked and devastated by the crash in Ahmedabad. 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 Chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran confirmed the tragedy: “With profound sorrow I confirm that Air India Flight 171 operating Ahmedabad (to) 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.”
The airline activated an emergency center to assist families seeking information about the crash, which ranks among India’s worst aviation disasters. The aircraft carried 230 passengers and 12 crew members when it went down in the densely populated area surrounding the busy airport.
This tragedy revives painful memories of previous Indian aviation disasters, including: The 1996 mid-air collision over New Delhi that killed nearly 350; The 2010 Air India Express crash in Mangalore that claimed 158 lives; The 1985 bombing of an Air India flight off Ireland that killed 329
Authorities have launched an immediate investigation into the cause of Thursday’s crash, with aviation experts noting the Dreamliner’s generally strong safety record since its 2011 debut. The accident marks the first fatal crash involving the technologically advanced 787 aircraft in India.
As night fell in Ahmedabad, recovery operations continued at the crash site, with officials warning the death toll may rise as teams work through the wreckage in the coming hours.
