Ahmedabad (Gujarat), June 12 (ANI): One person has been found alive following the tragic crash of an Air India aircraft carrying 242 people, which slammed into a nearby doctors’ hostel shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. The survivor, seated in 11A, is currently hospitalized and undergoing treatment, according to Ahmedabad Police Commissioner GS Malik.
“The police found one survivor in seat 11A. He has been hospitalized and is under treatment. We cannot confirm the number of deaths yet, but the toll may rise as the crash occurred in a residential area,” Commissioner Malik told ANI.
The aircraft, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, was operating Flight AI171 en route to London Gatwick. It took off at 1:38 PM IST on Thursday and crashed moments later, reportedly striking a doctors’ hostel near the airport perimeter.
According to Joint Commissioner of Police Jaipal Singh Rathore, “After takeoff, the aircraft crashed into a building, which is a doctors’ hostel.” Eyewitnesses reported heavy black smoke billowing from the site immediately after the impact.
Air India confirmed the details in an official statement:
“Air India confirms that Flight AI171, from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, was involved in an accident today after takeoff. The flight, which departed at 1338 hours, was carrying 242 passengers and crew members. Of these, 169 are Indian nationals, 53 are British, 7 Portuguese, and 1 Canadian national. Injured passengers are being shifted to the nearest hospitals. A dedicated hotline number, 1800 5691 444, has been set up to provide more information. Air India is fully cooperating with authorities investigating this incident.”
The flight was under the command of Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, a senior pilot with 8,200 flying hours, and First Officer Clive Kundar, who had logged 1,100 hours of flying experience.
Air Traffic Control (ATC) confirmed that the aircraft took off from Runway 23 at 1:39 PM IST (08:09 UTC). A Mayday call was made by the aircraft shortly after departure. However, further communication was lost. The plane subsequently crashed outside the airport perimeter, triggering a massive emergency response.
Following the crash, the Gujarat government dispatched three National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams, comprising 90 personnel, from Gandhinagar to assist with rescue operations.
The Ahmedabad City Police has also issued an emergency helpline for those seeking information or assistance related to the crash: 079-25620359.
This is a developing story. Authorities are working to rescue any other potential survivors and assess the full scale of the tragedy. (ANI)
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