Crashed Within One Minute of Takeoff
Struck Medical College Cafeteria, Killing at Least Five Students
Indian and UK Leaders Express "Heartbreak"
An Air India passenger plane carrying 242 people crashed shortly after takeoff on June 13 (local time) while en route from Ahmedabad, India, to London Gatwick Airport in the United Kingdom. Local police told the Associated Press that there are believed to be no survivors.
Flight AI171, the flight involved in the accident, departed Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad at 1:40 p.m. (local time) that day and was scheduled to arrive at London Gatwick Airport at 6:25 p.m. local time in the UK. The aircraft was identified as a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner.
Flight tracking site FlightRadar24 reported that the aircraft's signal disappeared less than a minute after takeoff, with its last recorded altitude at 625 feet (approximately 190 meters). Indian aviation authorities stated that a mayday call was sent, but there was no further response afterward.
The plane crashed onto the campus of a medical college located in a residential area of Meghaninagar, central Ahmedabad. Police stated that the aircraft struck the college's cafeteria building. Meenakshi Parikh, the dean of the medical college, said, "Dozens of students were eating at the time, and at least five students have died." The Associated Press, citing the city police commissioner, reported that there appeared to be no survivors.
Air India announced that the passengers included 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, 7 Portuguese nationals, and 1 Canadian national. There were no Korean nationals on board. Immediately after the accident, Ahmedabad International Airport suspended all operations and advised passengers to check with airlines in advance regarding flight status.
Air India described the incident as a "tragic accident" and reported that the injured were being transported to nearby hospitals.
Natarajan Chandrasekaran, chairman of Air India, stated, "We are actively supporting the rescue authorities and doing our utmost to provide all necessary assistance to the victims and their families." He also explained that an emergency response center has been activated and a family support team has been formed.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, "Words cannot express how heartbreaking this is," adding, "I stand with all the victims during this sad time." UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer also stated, "The scenes coming out of Ahmedabad are shocking and devastating," and added, "I am receiving real-time reports on the situation and extend my deepest condolences to the passengers and their families."
Meanwhile, Boeing stated, "We are aware of the initial reports and are gathering additional information." The Dreamliner model involved in the accident surpassed 1 billion cumulative passengers since its first flight 14 years ago. The BBC reported that this incident is expected to be recorded as the first major crash involving this model.
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