Air India on Thursday said that 241 people on board its London-bound flight were killed when the aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff from the Ahmedabad airport on Thursday, while one survivor is in hospital and is undergoing treatment.
A London-bound Air India plane, AI171, carrying 242 passengers and crew crashed in a crowded residential area here minutes after taking off from the Ahmedabad airport on Thursday. According to Air India, of the 230 passengers, 169 were Indians, 53 British, seven Portuguese and one Canadian.
The pilot of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner issued a ‘Mayday’ distress call, denoting a full emergency, soon after takeoff, the Air Traffic Control at Ahmedabad said. However, thereafter, no response was given by the aircraft to the calls made by ATC, the aviation regulator DGCA said in a statement.
“We regret to inform that, of the 242 aboard, there are 241 confirmed fatalities. The sole survivor is being treated in a hospital. The passengers comprised 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, 7 Portuguese nationals and 1 Canadian national. The survivor is a British national of Indian origin,” Air India said in a statement issued late Thursday.
Air India said it offers its deepest condolences to the families of the deceased. “Our efforts now are focused entirely on the needs of all those affected, their families and loved ones,” the airline said. A team of caregivers from Air India is now in Ahmedabad to provide additional support, it added.
In a video recorded by a resident, the twin-engine wide bodied aircraft could be seen losing altitude rapidly and crashing in a ball of fire that sent plumes of thick black smoke spiralling up in the air.
A devastating crash occurred when Air India Flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner (VT-ANB), plummeted to the ground minutes after departing from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on June 12.
The flight, destined for London Gatwick Airport (LGW), carried 230 passengers and 12 crew members. The tragic incident occurred around 1.39 pm local time (08.09 GMT).
As many as 265 bodies have been brought to the city’s civil hospital, which also includes the medical students, following the horrific crash, a police official said.
Reports from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) confirm that the pilots issued a “MAYDAY” call to air traffic control (ATC) shortly after takeoff, indicating an immediate and grave emergency. Tragically, the aircraft did not respond to subsequent calls from ATC.
The devastating crash claimed numerous lives. Initially, Ahmedabad Police Chief GS Malik reported no survivors on board and confirmed ground casualties. However, amidst the tragedy, a miracle emerged: Ramesh Viswashkumar, approximately 40 years old, was confirmed as the sole survivor.
Among the confirmed fatalities from the aircraft was Vijay Rupani, the former chief minister of Gujarat (2016-2021), who was reportedly en route to London to meet his family. Those on board included 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, one Canadian, and seven Portuguese.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the incident as “heartbreaking beyond words,” confirming that rescue and relief efforts were already in motion.
The Prime Minister also pledged full government support for the victims’ families, calling for a thorough investigation into the cause of the crash. He is expected to visit Ahmedabad on Friday.
One survivor has been found alive from the wreckage of the Air India Flight AI171 crash in Ahmedabad, which claimed the lives of over 200 people. The sole survivor, Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a 40-year-old British national, was rescued from seat 11A.
Vishwash Kumar Ramesh was travelling with his brother, Ajay Kumar Ramesh, 45, whose fate remains unknown. Recounting the terrifying seconds after takeoff, Vishwash said, “Within 30 seconds, there was a loud noise and then the plane crashed. It all happened so quickly.”
Hours after the tragic Ahmedabad plane crash, the authorities have found the black boxes that will help in revealing what triggered the accident.
Contrary to its name, a black box is actually a bright orange, crash-resistant device designed to survive extreme impact and fire. Every commercial aircraft carries two such recorders.
The black box provides a second-by-second reconstruction of what happened inside the cockpit and across the aircraft systems before the crash. In the Ahmedabad case, it could confirm whether there was:
The postmortem of all the bodies has been completed, and preparations are now underway to preserve them. The pilot, co-pilot, and one crew member have been identified. The bodies of 10 medical students have also been identified.
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