A catastrophic aviation tragedy struck Ahmedabad on Thursday afternoon as Air India flight AI-171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner en route from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, crashed shortly after take-off, resulting in the deaths of 241 individuals onboard, including 12 crew members. The sole survivor, a British national of Indian origin, has been confirmed by airline authorities.
A resident of the nearby housing colony described the moment of impact as akin to an earthquake. "When the crash happened, it felt like an earthquake. Immediately, we rushed to the site. After hearing the loud sound from the crash, the public gathered nearby," an eyewitness told ANI.
Eyewitnesses and first responders reported thick black smoke rising from the crash site, indicating a fire on impact. Rescue efforts were hampered by the intensity of the blaze and structural damage to the building struck by the aircraft.
The aircraft, carrying 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese nationals, and one Canadian national, crashed into a residential doctors’ hostel building near the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at approximately 13:39 IST, mere moments after departing from Runway 23. According to Air Traffic Control (ATC), a Mayday call was issued shortly before communication was lost.
Rescue and emergency services responded swiftly. Hariom Gandhi of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) confirmed that six teams have been deployed and are actively engaged in ground operations. "Our six teams are working on the ground. We cannot give any numbers until the site is completely cleared," Gandhi stated.
Air India confirmed that the flight was piloted by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, a seasoned Line Training Captain with over 8,200 hours of flying experience, assisted by First Officer Clive Kundar, who had logged 1,100 hours.
In response to the tragedy, the Tata Group, which owns Air India, has announced a compensation of ₹1 crore for the families of each victim.
The Indian Medical Association (IMA), Gujarat unit, also issued a statement emphasizing its ongoing support efforts. “In a swift response to the tragic Ahmedabad flight crash incident, IMA Gujarat is providing full on-ground support at the incident site and Civil Hospital, Ahmedabad,” the statement read. The IMA noted that it is working in close coordination with Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Ministers Rushikesh Patel and Harsh Sanghavi, Health Secretary Dhananjay Dwivedi, senior IAS officers, and hospital authorities to deliver immediate medical aid.
Authorities are continuing investigations into the cause of the crash, as recovery operations proceed under challenging conditions. Further updates are expected as officials complete site clearance and data retrieval from flight recorders.
(With inputs from ANI)
A resident of the nearby housing colony described the moment of impact as akin to an earthquake. "When the crash happened, it felt like an earthquake. Immediately, we rushed to the site. After hearing the loud sound from the crash, the public gathered nearby," an eyewitness told ANI.
Eyewitnesses and first responders reported thick black smoke rising from the crash site, indicating a fire on impact. Rescue efforts were hampered by the intensity of the blaze and structural damage to the building struck by the aircraft.
The aircraft, carrying 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese nationals, and one Canadian national, crashed into a residential doctors’ hostel building near the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at approximately 13:39 IST, mere moments after departing from Runway 23. According to Air Traffic Control (ATC), a Mayday call was issued shortly before communication was lost.
Rescue and emergency services responded swiftly. Hariom Gandhi of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) confirmed that six teams have been deployed and are actively engaged in ground operations. "Our six teams are working on the ground. We cannot give any numbers until the site is completely cleared," Gandhi stated.
Air India confirmed that the flight was piloted by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, a seasoned Line Training Captain with over 8,200 hours of flying experience, assisted by First Officer Clive Kundar, who had logged 1,100 hours.
In response to the tragedy, the Tata Group, which owns Air India, has announced a compensation of ₹1 crore for the families of each victim.
The Indian Medical Association (IMA), Gujarat unit, also issued a statement emphasizing its ongoing support efforts. “In a swift response to the tragic Ahmedabad flight crash incident, IMA Gujarat is providing full on-ground support at the incident site and Civil Hospital, Ahmedabad,” the statement read. The IMA noted that it is working in close coordination with Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Ministers Rushikesh Patel and Harsh Sanghavi, Health Secretary Dhananjay Dwivedi, senior IAS officers, and hospital authorities to deliver immediate medical aid.
Authorities are continuing investigations into the cause of the crash, as recovery operations proceed under challenging conditions. Further updates are expected as officials complete site clearance and data retrieval from flight recorders.
(With inputs from ANI)
