Indian flight bound to London Crashes Shortly After Take-Off
India: Tragedy struck on Tuesday afternoon when an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner en route to London crashed just minutes after departing from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport.
The aircraft, operating as flight AI 171, was carrying 242 people onboard—232 passengers and 10 crew members, according to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
Eyewitness videos captured the harrowing moments of the aircraft flying unusually low and failing to gain sufficient altitude before crashing and erupting into a fiery explosion at approximately 1:38 PM.
The plane, heavily loaded with fuel for the long-haul flight to London Gatwick, burst into flames upon impact, sending a towering column of smoke into the sky.
Aviation analyst Sanjay Lazar noted that the aircraft suffered a critical failure to achieve lift at a dangerously low altitude of just 825 feet.
“The Dreamliner was visibly struggling to climb,” he told the press.
Air India issued a brief statement acknowledging the incident, saying, “Flight AI 171 operating from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick was involved in an incident. We are currently verifying details and will provide further updates as soon as possible.”
Emergency services responded swiftly, with over two dozen ambulances dispatched to the scene. Several injured individuals were rushed to nearby hospitals for treatment.
Police have cordoned off the area and diverted traffic to facilitate rescue operations.
Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu stated he is closely monitoring the situation and has instructed all aviation and emergency agencies to act promptly and in coordination.
“My thoughts and prayers are with all those on board and their families,” he wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
The DGCA confirmed that the aircraft was under the command of Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, who had logged over 8,200 flight hours, alongside First Officer Clive Kundar, with 1,100 hours of experience. The flight crew reportedly made a Mayday call moments before the crash.
Further investigations are underway to determine the exact cause of the accident.
