Air India Dreamliner Crashes in Ahmedabad, Killing Over 200
Plane Downed Near Airport, Hitting Doctor’s Hostel
A Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner operated by Air India crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad, India, resulting in a catastrophic loss of life and widespread devastation. Initial reports indicate over 200 fatalities, with the aircraft impacting a populated civil area near the airport.
Crash Details Emerge
The aircraft, flight AI171 en route to London Gatwick, lost signal within one minute of departing Ahmedabad’s airport in the Gujarat region. Witnesses reported seeing large plumes of smoke rising from the crash site. According to police, the plane struck a hostel for doctors and nearby office buildings.
Tragic news coming in from Ahmedabad, India. Air India flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, reportedly crashed shortly after takeoff. Reports indicate the plane hit a doctor’s hostel. Developing story. #AI171 #Ahmedabad #AirIndia pic.twitter.com/qJq9q9q9q9
— Aviation Updates (@aviationupdates1) June 8, 2024
Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu, India’s aviation minister, expressed shock and grief, stating that rescue teams are fully mobilized to provide medical assistance and emergency aid. “We are doing everything we can to send medical help and emergency aid as quickly as possible,”
he said.
Passenger Manifest
Air India confirmed that the flight carried two pilots and ten cabin crew members. The passenger list included 196 Indian citizens, 53 British nationals, one Canadian, and seven Portuguese individuals. All flights at Ahmedabad airport have been temporarily suspended.
According to the Flight Safety Foundation, between 2014 and 2023, there were 11 fatal accidents involving commercial aircraft worldwide, resulting in 148 fatalities. Flight Safety Foundation Data
Condolences and Investigation
Outgoing Prime Minister Dick Schoof extended condolences to Narendra Modi of India and Keir Starmer of the United Kingdom. “In this dark period my thoughts are with all the victims, injured and relatives of this terrible disaster,”
Schoof stated, describing the images from the crash site as “terrible.”
Air India’s History of Accidents
Founded in 1932, Air India has experienced previous catastrophic events. In 1966, a flight crashed against Mont Blanc in France, claiming the lives of all 117 passengers. A 1985 bombing above the Atlantic Ocean resulted in 329 fatalities. Thursday’s accident is now the deadliest air disaster in India since 1978, when an Air India flight lost control, killing 213 people.
Authorities are currently working to recover bodies and investigate the cause of the crash. Further updates will be provided as they become available.
