An Air India Ahmedabad-London flight (AI171), a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, crashed shortly after takeoff near Ahmedabad airport on Thursday. The flight was carrying 242 people, including 230 passengers and 12 crew members.
According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the aircraft gave a mayday call to Air Traffic Control (ATC) moments after takeoff at 1:39 pm IST. The call was made by the co-pilot, but there was no response from the aircraft afterward. The plane crashed outside the airport perimeter and heavy black smoke was seen at the site.
The flight was commanded by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, with over 8,200 hours of experience. The co-pilot, Clive Kundar, had 1,100 hours of flying experience.
Former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani was reportedly onboard.
Air India confirmed the incident and said further details are being gathered. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has spoken to Civil Aviation Minister Rammohan Naidu and instructed that all necessary support be extended immediately. Emergency response teams and relevant agencies are actively handling the situation.
