An Air India flight headed to London from Ahmedabad in India crashed immediately after taking off. According to reports, there seems to be no survivors aboard that flight.
The crash
The flight departed at 1:38 pm local time and was headed to Gatwick Airport in London. Upon taking off, it gave off a “MayDay” signal and crashed soon thereafter. According to local authorities, the flight crashed into Meghani Nagar neighborhood of Ahmedabad city. The extent of the fatalities is yet to be ascertained. The flight crashed into the boys hostel of a medical college. Authorities have said that there are additional fatalities on ground, given this site of crash.
The city police commissioner GS Malik told Associated Press that the chances of survivors appear to be slim. As per reports, around 204 bodies have been recovered from the crash site so far.
Air India statement
Air India, in a statement said that it was determining the extent of the crash and will share the details soon thereafter. It has set up a passenger hotline number for more information.
According to the airline’s initial statement, the flight that crashed was Flight AI171, operating on the Ahmedabad-London Gatwick route.
In an additional statement, the Air India confirmed that the flight which had departed from the Ahmedabad airport at 1:38 p.m. local time was carrying 242 passengers and crew members on board. This included 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, one Canadian national and seven Portuguese nationals.
It said:
“The injured are being taken to the nearest hospitals. We have also set up a dedicated passenger hotline number 1800 5691 444 to provide more information. Air India is giving its full cooperation to the authorities investigating this incident.”
UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office in its statement said that the United Kingdom is working with the local authorities in India to “establish the facts and provide support to those involved.” It has provided a phone number- 020 7008 5000 for British nationals who need assistance or are concerned about their friends or family.
Boeing has also been in contact with Air India and the authorities to lend assistance.
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi said:
The tragedy in Ahmedabad has stunned and saddened us. It is heartbreaking beyond words. In this sad hour, my thoughts are with everyone affected by it. Have been in touch with Ministers and authorities who are working to assist those affected.
India’s Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu and Union Home Minister Amit Shah left for Ahmedabad soon after the incident. Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport was closed down soon after to resolve the situation. According to a recent update, the airport was functional a few hours later with all flights being operational.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of the United States also said that it was in contact with the National Transport Safety Board (NTSB) regarding the Air India flight AI171 crash. In case the Indian administration needs help in its investigation, the NTSB the official U.S. representative and the FAA provide technical support in this scenario. It is read to immediately launch a team in coordination with the NTSB, it said.
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