A passenger aircraft belonging to Air India, carrying 242 people including crew and passengers, has crashed shortly after takeoff in the Meghani Nagar area of Ahmedabad city in India. The aircraft, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, had departed from Ahmedabad International Airport at 1:38 PM local time and was en route to London, United Kingdom.
Eyewitnesses and emergency officials confirmed that the aircraft crashed only minutes after takeoff. Preliminary reports suggest the crash may have been caused by an internal explosion, although an official investigation is still underway.
The breakdown of nationalities among the passengers is as follows:
• 169 Indian nationals
• 53 British nationals
• 1 Canadian national
• 7 Portuguese nationals
Massive rescue operations are currently in progress, with firefighters, police, and emergency responders on site, focusing on locating possible survivors.
India’s Minister of Civil Aviation has announced that an Aviation Accident Investigation Board has been tasked with determining the exact cause of the crash. He also noted that the families of those on board are being contacted and briefed on the situation.
This crash is being considered one of the worst passenger airline disasters in India since the Air India Express crash in 2020.
Further updates and official statements from the Indian government and Air India are expected in the coming hours.
About The Author
