AHMEDABAD — A London-bound Air India flight with 244 people onboard crashed Thursday afternoon shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad, India, local authorities and the airline confirmed.
The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, operating as flight AI 171, went down in the Meghani Nagar residential area just five minutes after departing Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at 1:38 p.m. local time. The aircraft was en route to Gatwick Airport in London.
Television footage from the scene showed thick plumes of smoke rising near the airport as emergency crews rushed to the site. Ahmedabad is a major city in the Indian state of Gujarat, home to more than five million residents.
Faiz Ahmed Kidwai, Director General of Civil Aviation, confirmed that 232 passengers and 12 crew members were onboard. The cause of the crash has not yet been determined.
India’s Civil Aviation Minister, Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu, stated that rescue teams had been mobilized and that efforts were underway to provide medical assistance and relief. “We are on highest alert. I am personally monitoring the situation,” he said in a post on social media platform X (formerly Twitter).
London Gatwick also confirmed the flight had been scheduled to arrive at 6:25 p.m. local time and had crashed shortly after takeoff.
According to the Aviation Safety Network, this marks the first-ever crash involving a Boeing 787 aircraft since its introduction in 2009. Over 1,000 Dreamliners have been delivered globally.
Air India Chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran expressed his condolences and assured the public that the airline’s immediate priority is to assist the victims and their families. “We have set up an emergency response center and support teams for those seeking information,” he said on X. “Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with all those affected by this devastating event.”
Authorities are continuing to assess the situation, and more updates are expected as investigations proceed.