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The Air India Flight AI 171 from Ahmedabad, Gujarat, to London’s Gatwick Airport crashed into a women’s medical college hostel in the city soon after takeoff. Reuters reports that at least 294 people were killed, including flight passengers, crew, and the students who were inside the hostel building at the time. Of the 242 passengers and flight crew, at least one has survived.
In a post on social media, Air India confirmed the news of the crash. It revealed that the Boeing 787-8, which left Ahmedabad at 1:38 pm on Thursday, carried 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese nationals, and one Canadian national.
Former Chief Minister of Gujarat, Vijay Rupani, was also among the passengers who died. The Times of India published a list of all the passengers’ names, and the Ahmedabad police also released a list of 25 people on the ground who were injured in the crash.
“The tragedy in Ahmedabad has stunned and saddened us. It is heartbreaking beyond words. In this sad hour, my thoughts are with everyone affected by it. Have been in touch with Ministers and authorities who are working to assist those affected,” said Prime Minister Modi in a post on X.
The flight issued a Mayday call after taking off, but there was no further contact with the aircraft after that. An airport CCTV video published by NDTV showed the flight taking off from the runway, failing to gain altitude, and crashing a few seconds after takeoff, causing a major explosion.
The exact cause of the crash is not yet known. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), an arm of the Ministry of Civil Aviation, will investigate the crash after the ongoing search and rescue operations are completed at the crash site, reports The Indian Express.
In a press release, Boeing President and CEO Kelly Ortberg said, “Our deepest condolences go out to the loved ones of the passengers and crew on board Air India Flight 171, as well as everyone affected in Ahmedabad,” and committed to supporting the AIIB’s investigation. The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will also send a team of investigators to support the on-ground investigation in India, according to CBS News.
The 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft was a part of Air India’s fleet since 2014. This deadly crash is the first accident involving the highly automated and advanced aircraft series from Boeing that started flying commercially in 2011, reports Reuters.
However, The New York Times reports that Boeing paused deliveries of the aircraft in 2022 to address some quality concerns. The Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) was also investigating claims by a Boeing engineer-turned-whistleblower that Dreamliner parts were improperly fastened, causing premature damage to the aircraft. Boeing refuted the claims, and stated that after exhaustive testing, they had found no evidence to support those claims.
This is a developing story.
