Ahmedabad – In a tragic incident, an Air India flight bound for London’s Gatwick Airport crashed shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on Thursday morning. The plane went down in a densely populated residential area, leading to fears of high casualties on the ground as well.
According to Ahmedabad Police Commissioner GS Malik, “There appears to be no survivor in the crash,” as rescue teams comb through the debris. He added that the crash has also resulted in additional casualties in a nearby medical college and office complex.
“Since the airplane has fallen on an area which was residential and had some offices, there are more casualties as well,” Malik told AFP.
✈️ Flight Details
- Total passengers on board: 242
- Indian nationals: 169
- British nationals: 53
- Portuguese nationals: 7
- Canadian national: 1
Sources indicate that former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani may have been aboard the flight, but this has not yet been officially confirmed.
🔥 Crash Impact & Visuals
The aircraft crashed five minutes after takeoff, and videos shared online show massive plumes of black smoke billowing into the sky. Emergency services and disaster response teams were immediately deployed to the crash site, where firefighting and evacuation efforts are still ongoing.
🛫 Airport & Government Response
Flight operations at Ahmedabad Airport were temporarily halted, but have since resumed. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been briefed on the incident and has directed full-scale rescue and relief operations. Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu and Home Minister Amit Shah are en route to Ahmedabad to assess the situation firsthand.
☎️ Emergency Helpline Numbers
- Ministry of Civil Aviation: 011-24610843 | 9650391859
- Air India Passenger Hotline: 1800 5691 444
- Ahmedabad Police Control Room: 079-25620359
The situation is evolving. This is a developing story, and updates will follow as more information becomes available.