Air India Plane Crashes into Ahmedabad Residential Area Minutes After Takeoff

Ahmedabad – In a devastating incident, Air India flight AI171, bound for London’s Gatwick Airport, crashed just minutes after taking off from Ahmedabad on Thursday afternoon. The crash prompted the immediate suspension of all operations at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport.

As a safety measure, the airport has halted all arrivals and departures until further notice. “Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport is currently non-operational,” confirmed an airport spokesperson.

Air India has issued a helpline (1800 5691 444) for families seeking information about passengers. While no official casualty figures have been released yet, visuals from the site show the aircraft wreckage lodged into a hostel building in Meghani Nagar and significant damage to the surrounding area.

The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, carrying 242 passengers, took off at 1:38 PM and crashed five minutes later in a densely populated area just outside the airport. Thick black smoke and widespread panic gripped the locality.

The flight was piloted by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, with 8,200 flying hours, and First Officer Clive Kundar, who had logged 1,100 hours.

According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the aircraft had sent a Mayday distress signal shortly after takeoff. Preliminary reports suggest a possible bird strike leading to engine failure, though a detailed probe is underway.

A DGCA team on-site is collecting evidence. Emergency teams, including fire brigades and NDRF units, are conducting rescue operations. Additional NDRF teams have been deployed from Vadodara.

Air India confirmed the incident via social media and assured full cooperation with investigators. According to Flightradar24, the aircraft was registered as VT-ANB and had flown from Delhi earlier in the day.

Passenger records reveal 169 Indians, 53 British nationals, 7 Portuguese citizens, and 1 Canadian were aboard, including former Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani.

Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu is heading to the site, and PM Narendra Modi has ordered urgent rescue efforts.

Investigations and rescue operations are ongoing, with further updates expected soon.

With inputs from IANS