Air India plane carrying 242 crashes in India en route to United Kingdom
An Air India flight carrying 242 passengers and crew members en route to the United Kingdom from India crashed shortly after takeoff near the Ahmedabad airport in Gujarat state, according to local officials and the airline.
The Boeing 787-8 aircraft took off from Ahmedabad at 13:38 hrs with 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, 1 Canadian national, and 7 Portuguese nationals on board. The plane, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, crashed in the Meghaninagar area near the airport, as reported by the Ahmedabad Police Commissioner.
Boeing issued a statement saying they are aware of the initial reports and are working to gather more information. The Indian Directorate General of Civil Aviation stated that the plane fell outside the airport perimeter immediately after departure.
Images from the scene showed heavy black smoke rising from the accident site. The Indian Civil Aviation Minister has directed all aviation and emergency response agencies to take swift and coordinated action in response to the crash.
Rescue teams have been mobilized, and efforts are being made to provide medical aid and relief support to the crash site. Local governor Bhupendra Patel coordinated with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure a swift emergency response. A “green corridor” was established for emergency vehicles to transport victims to local hospitals.
The airline initially announced the incident on social media, stating that they were ascertaining the details of the incident. The flight was scheduled to fly from Ahmedabad International Airport to London Gatwick Airport. The captain had 8,200 hours of experience, and the copilot had 1,100 hours of flying experience, according to the Directorate General.
This is a developing story, and updates will be provided as more information becomes available. ABC News’ Joe Simonetti, Ellie Kaufman, and Clara McMichael contributed to this report.
