Lagatar24 Desk
Ahemdabad: In a major aviation disaster, an Air India flight crashed shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad on Thursday. According to initial reports, the aircraft was bound for London when it went down near Meghaninagar, roughly 15 kilometers from the airport. The incident has triggered a large-scale rescue operation with four NDRF teams deployed immediately.
Plane carried 242 passengers, including multiple foreign nationals
The ill-fated AI-171 flight had initially arrived from Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport before departing for London. Gujarat’s former Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Vijay Rupani was reportedly onboard. The aircraft carried 242 people, including crew members. Among the passengers were 169 Indian nationals, 53 British citizens, 7 Portuguese, and 1 Canadian citizen.
Prime Minister Modi monitors situation, central ministers rush to Ahmedabad
Prime Minister Narendra Modi held urgent discussions with Home Minister Amit Shah, Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu, and Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel. Amit Shah, who assured all possible assistance, is en route to Ahmedabad. The Prime Minister has directed that full support be provided to those affected by the tragedy.
Aircraft experienced trouble immediately after take-off
The aircraft took off at 1:39 PM, and soon after, the pilot sensed technical trouble and attempted to contact ATC. However, the plane crashed before any emergency landing could be executed. The aircraft fell in a densely populated residential area, behind a five-storey building in Meghaninagar. Eyewitness videos captured the aircraft descending rapidly before exploding into a fireball, filling the sky with thick black smoke.
Massive rescue operation underway
Fire brigade units, ambulances, police, NDRF, SDRF, and BSF teams reached the crash site promptly. After controlling the blaze, multiple survivors were pulled from the wreckage and rushed to nearby hospitals. Authorities are still assessing the full scale of casualties.
Air Accident Investigation Bureau launches probe
The Directorate General of the Air Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), along with a technical team, has been dispatched to Ahmedabad to investigate the cause of the crash. Meanwhile, all operations at Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport have been temporarily suspended.
