An Air India Boeing 787-8, operating as flight AI171 to London Gatwick, crashed shortly after takeoff today from Ahmedabad Airport (AMD) in western India, killing all but one person on board.
“We regret to inform that, of the 242 aboard, there are 241 confirmed fatalities,” Air India says.
“The sole survivor is being treated in a hospital. The passengers comprised 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese nationals and one Canadian national. The survivor is a British national of Indian origin.”
The flight departed from Ahmedabad at 1338 hrs, carrying 230 passengers and 12 crew members.
Flightradar24 says the aircraft, bearing registration VT-ANB, was delivered to Air India in January 2014. Its signal “was lost at 08:08 UTC (13:38 local time) at 625 feet, less than a minute after takeoff,” states the flight tracking web site.
The twinjet crashed into a medical college’s hostel, near the airport.
Air India’s owner, Tata Group says on X:
Tata Group will provide ₹1 crore to the families of each person who has lost their life in this tragedy. We will also cover the medical expenses of those injured and ensure that they receive all necessary care and support. Additionally, we will provide support in the building up of the B J Medical’s hostel.
Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with the families and loved ones of all those affected by this devastating event. At this moment, our primary focus is on supporting all the affected people and their families.
India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau has launched an investigation into the crash, and US National Transportation Safety Board investigators are en route to India to assist the Bureau.
Air India says it will provide more updates as details become available. “Anything we report must be accurate and not speculative,” says Campbell Wilson, MD & CEO of Air India. “We owe that to everyone involved.”
Videos and images of the crash are being posted on social media. RGN will not share images of victims out of respect for the families.
Featured image of Air India 787-8 credited to istock.com/SCMJeans
