GUJARAT: An Air India AI-171 flight, Boeing 787-8 dreamliner, scheduled to fly from Ahmedabad to London, crashed during take-off at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad on Thursday afternoon. The incident occurred around 1.38 pm, shortly after the aircraft began its ascent.

According to preliminary information, within just two minutes of take-off, the rear portion of the aircraft reportedly collided with a tree, causing it to veer off course and crash into a nearby airport structure. The impact was severe, resulting in injuries to several passengers and crew members. Emergency response teams were immediately deployed to the scene.

Persons on board

A total of 242 individuals were on board the aircraft:

2 pilots

10 cabin crew members

230 passengers

Flight Crew

Commander: Capt. Sumeet Sabharwal

First Officer: Clive Kundar

Gujarat Health Minister Rushikesh Patel and CM Patel have left for the Civil Hospital, where the injured have been shifted.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah contacted Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel to obtain details about the situation. The CM, who was in Surat at the time, is en route to Ahmedabad. A BSF rescue team has also reached the site and initiated relief operations.

Disturbing visuals from the crash site have surfaced, showing the extent of the damage and the chaos following the incident.

There are unconfirmed reports suggesting that former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani may have been aboard the ill-fated flight. Media sources indicate that he was scheduled to travel to London on this flight, though official confirmation is still awaited.

Authorities are continuing to investigate the cause of the crash, and further updates are expected shortly.

List of the passengers on board