Air India plane crash: London-bound flight had 169 Indian nationals and 53 British nationals on board

An Air India flight bound for London Gatwick crashed minutes after taking off from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on Thursday. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, operating as Flight AI171, was carrying 232 passengers and 12 crew members at the time of the incident, according to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

Air India stated that the passengers included 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese citizens, and one Canadian. This passenger count was updated by the airline after earlier reports from Indian officials placed the total number onboard at 244.

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The crash occurred at approximately 1:38 p.m. local time, five minutes after takeoff, and the aircraft went down in Meghani Nagar, a residential locality near the airport. Local television visuals showed heavy black smoke billowing from the area following the impact. Officials confirmed that the aircraft crashed into a populated area, hitting a doctors' hostel building.

Gatwick Airport, the destination for Flight AI171, confirmed on X that the flight, originally scheduled to arrive at 6:25 p.m. in London, had crashed on departure from Ahmedabad.

This is the first crash involving a Boeing 787 aircraft since the model was introduced in 2009. More than 1,000 units of the Dreamliner have been delivered globally, according to aviation tracking website flightradar24.

Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu stated that emergency response teams were mobilised immediately and efforts were underway to provide medical aid and relief at the site. "We are on highest alert. I am personally monitoring the situation," he posted on X.

Air India chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran said the airline’s priority was to assist those affected and their families. "Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with the families and loved ones of all those affected by this devastating event," he posted. An emergency support centre has been set up by the airline for families seeking information.

As of now, authorities have not released an official count of casualties. Rescue operations by multiple agencies, including the NDRF, are ongoing.