Air India flight IX-348 that departed Ahmedabad, India, early Sunday morning. Tragically, it crashed moments after taking off for Gatwick Airport in London. The plane smashed into a doctor’s quarters in the north-western city of Ahmedabad. It was over capacity, transporting 242 people—217 adults and 11 children.
The incident, involving Air India flight 171, came as the aircraft completely lost contact with air traffic control shortly after takeoff. The last signal from the aircraft was recorded at 08:08:51 UTC, according to Flightradar24, which noted that the signal disappeared less than a minute into the flight. If confirmed, this incident would be the first crash of a Boeing 787 plane according to the Aviation Safety Network database.
Air India would not confirm the nationality of the passengers onboard. Of those, 169 were Indian nationals, 53 British citizens, seven Portuguese and one Canadian.
Rescue teams were mobilized almost immediately after the disaster, including a remarkable response coordinated by India’s civil aviation minister, Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu. According to reports, at least 30 bodies have been pulled from the structure at the site of the crash. Though the search and rescue operations have just officially concluded, many victims are still believed to be buried beneath the rubble.
A senior police officer provided an update on the rescue efforts, stating, “The building on which it has crashed is a doctors’ hostel … we have cleared almost 70% to 80% of the area and will clear the rest soon.”
In a somber announcement, Natarajan Chandrasekaran, the chairman of Air India, expressed his condolences: “With profound sorrow I confirm that Air India flight 171 operating Ahmedabad London Gatwick was involved in a tragic accident today.”
The news of the crash has sent shockwaves through a country still mourning the loss of their late president. UK Labour Party leader Keir Starmer remarked on the devastating nature of the incident: “The scenes emerging of a London-bound plane carrying many British nationals crashing in the Indian city of Ahmedabad are devastating.”
As investigators continue to piece together this tragic accident, authorities are directing their efforts toward recovery and identifying victims. This titanic event, while dramatic and tragic, has deeper meanings and implications for both India and Britain. Now, families are still anxiously awaiting news about their loved ones.