An Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner bound for London’s Gatwick Airport crashed shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad, India, killing most of the 242 people on board. Initial reports said all had died, but later updates confirmed one survivor.
The plane crashed in a civilian area near the airport, striking the dining hall of B.J. Medical College’s hostel and reportedly killing several medical students. The passengers included 169 Indians, 43 Britons, 7 Portuguese nationals, and 1 Canadian.
Emergency services responded quickly, sending over 20 ambulances. Shocking footage showed thick smoke, fire, and stretchers being rushed from the crash site. The aircraft gave a Mayday call soon after takeoff at 1:39 p.m. local time but then lost contact.
India’s Civil Aviation Minister Rammohan Naidu Kinjarapu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed shock and ordered immediate rescue and relief efforts. Ahmedabad airport suspended all operations.
The last major Air India crash was in 2020. The airline, now owned by Tata Group, has activated an emergency center and is supporting victims’ families. Boeing has yet to comment, and its shares dropped nearly 7% in early trading.
Credit : CGTN
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