An Air India flight carrying 242 people crashed near the Ahmedabad airport shortly after takeoff on Thursday, according to the airline and local police. Authorities have not yet confirmed if there were any fatalities.
Flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, was en route to London’s Gatwick Airport when it went down in a civilian area near the airport in western India. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) confirmed that the aircraft was carrying 230 passengers, two pilots, and ten cabin crew members.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Air India stated: “At this moment, we are ascertaining the details and will share further updates.”
Television broadcasts showed dramatic visuals of flaming debris and dense black smoke rising near the crash site. Footage also captured emergency responders transporting individuals on stretchers and evacuating them by ambulance.
According to the DGCA, the flight departed Ahmedabad at 1:39 PM IST (0809 UTC) from Runway 23. Shortly after takeoff, the aircraft issued a MAYDAY call to Air Traffic Control but did not respond to further communication. The plane then crashed just outside the airport perimeter.
The DGCA added that the aircraft was piloted by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, a Line Training Captain with 8,200 hours of flying experience. He was accompanied by First Officer Clive Kundar, who had 1,100 hours of experience.
Investigations are ongoing, and further updates are expected as more information becomes available. Relief and rescue efforts are underway at the site of the plane crash in Ahmedabad.
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