An Air India passenger aircraft, Flight AI171, crashed shortly after departing from Ahmedabad, India, bound for London’s Gatwick Airport on Thursday. The plane was carrying 242 individuals, including 169 Indians, 53 Britons, one Canadian, and seven Portuguese. Although immediate casualty figures are unclear, Air India has reported that the injured are being transported to hospitals.
Air India Plane Crash: Flight AI171 Bound for London Crashes Shortly After Takeoff
Air India Plane Crash: Flight AI171 Bound for London Crashes Shortly After Takeoff
An Air India aircraft with 242 onboard crashes near Ahmedabad airport, sparking rescue efforts and raising safety concerns.
India’s civil aviation minister, Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu, expressed his shock and readiness to respond. Footage from the scene shows billowing black smoke rising in the sky near the airport. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner took off at 1:38 p.m. local time, and the cause of the crash remains unknown. Air India’s safety profile has been under scrutiny since a series of incidents impacted its reputation years ago. The last significant crash occurred in 2020, leading to fatalities and raising questions about the safety regulations in India's expanding aviation industry.
