Former Gujarat CM Rupani among dead
New Delhi: An Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner carrying 242 people crashed immediately after take-off from Ahmedabad airport this afternoon, in one of the worst ever aviation tragedies in India. There were 232 passengers and 10 crew on the flight which was headed to London.
One person–the passenger of seat No. 11A–survived the crash, officials said.
The plane slammed into a hostel for doctors of a medical college, killing five students. Visuals from the crash site show debris had pierced through the wall of a dining hall of the hostel, with food still visible on some of the plates.
A video of the aircraft flying low and struggling to gain altitude shows the plane slamming the ground and exploding in a massive ball of fire at 1.38 pm. It was loaded with fuel since it was flying a long distance to London.
Shortly after take-off, the pilot sent out a mayday call. There was no response after that to repeated calls from the air traffic controller, say reports.
In the final moments, the catastrophic failure to achieve lift happened at a very low altitude of 825 feet. The aircraft was clearly unable to climb, aviation expert Sanjay Lazar said.
Flight No. AI 171, operating Ahmedabad-London Gatwick, had on board 169 Indians, 53 are British nationals, 1 Canadian and seven Portuguese nationals.
Visuals showed charred wreckage of the plane, thick smoke rising from the site and emergency personnel at work. Some videos also showed injured taken to hospitals.
At least two dozen ambulances arrived at the site and some have taken away injured people to hospital. The police have diverted traffic from the area.
Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu said he is personally monitoring the situation and directed all aviation and emergency response agencies to take swift and coordinated action.
“My thoughts and prayers are with all those on board and their families,” he said in a post on X.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in a statement said the aircraft piloted by captain Sumeet Sabharwal with 8,200 hours of experience and first officer Clive Kundar with 1,100 hours of experience made a mayday call just before the crash.
Air India has set up a dedicated passenger hotline number 1800 5691 444 to provide more information.
Senior BJP leader and former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani died in the Air India flight crash in Ahmedabad on Thursday, authorities said. He was 68.
Rupani was onboard Air India flight AI171, which was headed to London’s Gatwick Airport when it crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad. He was reportedly seated in business class seat 2D.
A seasoned politician, Rupani served as the 16th Chief Minister of Gujarat from August 2016 to September 2021. Known for his composed demeanour and firm administrative style, Rupani steered Gujarat through a critical phase of industrial growth and post-Covid recovery.
His governance emphasised investment, infrastructure, and social welfare schemes.
Born on August 2, 1956, in Rangoon (now Yangon) in then Burma, Rupani and his family migrated to Gujarat’s Rajkot during the political turmoil in the Southeast Asian country. He completed his B.A. and L.L.B. from Saurashtra University, later becoming actively involved in the RSS and student politics through its student wing, the ABVP. Rupani began his political journey as a municipal corporator in Rajkot in 1987.
He served as Mayor of Rajkot from 1996 to 1997 and was elected to the Gujarat Assembly multiple times. His loyalty to the BJP and clean image made him a key figure in Gujarat politics, and in August 2016, he was chosen as the successor to Chief Minister Anandiben Patel, who had stepped down.
At least 169 Indians and 53 British nationals were travelling in Air India’s flight AI171 from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick which crashed soon after take-off, an airline official said on Thursday.
The flight, which departed from Ahmedabad at 1.38 p.m. carrying 242 passengers and crew members, also had seven Portuguese nationals and a Canadian national on board.
The plane had 10 cabin crew, and two pilots – Capt. Sumeet Sabharwal, a long-time Air India pilot with over 8,200 flying hours, and First Officer Clive Kundar, who had logged 1,100 hours.
The first major crash since the national carrier’s privatisation in January 2022, led to the Tata Group-managed airline mourning the incident by changing its official ‘X’ account profile and cover photo to black as a mark of solidarity and respect for the departed souls.
The aircraft took off at 1.38 p.m. from Runway 23 at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. According to officials, a Mayday call was issued moments after take-off, but no further communication was received from the cockpit.
According to a DGCA statement, the aircraft crashed outside the airport boundary, suggesting it failed to climb properly after takeoff.
DGCA officials reached the site for collecting flight data, voice recordings, and witness accounts as part of their investigation.
Sources said that Boeing representatives and officials are also expected to assist the ground staff. (Agencies)
Air India flight crashes in Ahmedabad; 241 dead, one survivor
