London-Bound Aircraft Crashes In India With 242 Passengers Onboard

A passenger aircraft en route to London crashed on Thursday in the western Indian city of Ahmedabad, with 242 people aboard, according to aviation officials. The airline described the incident as a “tragic accident”.

Flight 171, operated by Air India and using a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, went down shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad airport, en route to London Gatwick, officials confirmed.

India’s aviation minister expressed his sorrow over the tragedy, stating he was “shocked and devastated” by the crash. An AFP journalist at the scene reported seeing thick black smoke billowing over the airport.

According to India’s civil aviation authority, “There were 242 persons on board” the aircraft, including two pilots and ten members of the cabin crew.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation reported that the aircraft had issued a mayday call and “crashed immediately after takeoff”. Authorities confirmed the plane came down just outside the airport’s perimeter.

Ahmedabad, the largest city in the state of Gujarat, has a population of approximately eight million people. The airport is located in a heavily populated residential area.

In response to the crash, Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu instructed “all aviation and emergency response agencies to take swift and coordinated action.”

He added: “Rescue teams have been mobilised, and all efforts are being made to ensure medical aid and relief support are being rushed to the site.”

He concluded, “My thoughts and prayers are with all those on board and their families.”

Air India confirmed the incident. “With profound sorrow I confirm that Air India Flight 171 operating from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick was involved in a tragic accident today,” said Air India chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran.

He continued, “Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with the families and loved ones of all those affected by this devastating event.”

Chandrasekaran also mentioned that an emergency response centre had been activated and a dedicated support team assembled to assist families seeking information.

India has witnessed several deadly aviation disasters in the past. In one of the worst accidents in 1996, two aircraft collided mid-air over New Delhi, resulting in nearly 350 fatalities. More recently, in 2010, an Air India Express flight crashed and caught fire while landing at Mangalore airport in the southwest, killing 158 of the 166 people onboard.

A particularly infamous incident occurred in June 1985 when an Air India Boeing 747 travelling from Montreal to London exploded over the sea off the coast of Ireland, killing all 329 people aboard. An Indian investigation later concluded that militant Sikhs had planted a bomb in a piece of checked luggage.

—AFP