Boeing 787, Air India Plane Crashes in India, 240+ Aboard/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ An Air India flight bound for London crashed shortly after takeoff in Ahmedabad, India. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner carried over 240 passengers and crew, including British nationals. World leaders express shock as rescue and recovery efforts continue at the residential crash site.
Air India Plane Crash Near Ahmedabad – Quick Looks
- Air India flight AI 171 to London crashes five minutes after takeoff from Ahmedabad.
- Aircraft crashes into residential Meghani Nagar area, sparking massive fire and casualties.
- 242 passengers and crew on board, including 169 Indians and 53 Britons.
- First crash involving a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, according to Aviation Safety Network.
- Emergency teams battling fires and aiding survivors in densely populated area.
- Indian PM Narendra Modi and UK PM Keir Starmer issue emotional statements.
- Crash occurs just before the Paris Air Show, intensifying global aviation scrutiny.
- Boeing shares drop nearly 9% following the incident.
- Air India sets up emergency center for families; international support underway.
- Crash adds to India’s aviation tragedy record and revives safety concerns for Boeing.
Air India 787 Crashes After Takeoff in Ahmedabad – Over 240 On Board – Deep Look
AHMEDABAD, India — A London-bound Air India flight carrying more than 240 people crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad on Thursday, triggering a large-scale emergency response and international shockwaves. The crash occurred in a residential area called Meghani Nagar just five minutes after liftoff at 1:38 p.m. local time.
Air India flight AI 171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, was en route to London’s Gatwick Airport with a manifest listing 242 people, including 169 Indians, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese citizens, and one Canadian. Initial discrepancies in the total number have not yet been reconciled, with civil aviation officials citing 244 aboard.
Local television footage showed thick black smoke pouring into the sky, with rescue workers and firefighters battling flames near multi-story buildings. The area, home to millions, was quickly overrun by emergency responders trying to pull survivors from the charred wreckage. Scenes from the ground revealed grim evidence of fatalities, with bodies lying near the fuselage and rescue personnel working to contain further fires.
Leaders Respond to “Devastating” Crash
Global leaders reacted swiftly to the tragedy. U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the event “devastating,” and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi described it as “heartbreaking beyond words.” He expressed his condolences on social media and pledged full support for the affected families.
Air India’s chairman, Natarajan Chandrasekaran, stated that the airline’s priority was offering full support to victims’ families. “Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with all those affected by this devastating event,” he posted on X (formerly Twitter), announcing the setup of an emergency response center and family assistance teams.
British Cabinet Minister Lucy Powell added that the U.K. government would coordinate with Indian authorities and support affected communities in both nations.
First Boeing 787 Crash Raises Safety Flags
This incident marks the first-ever crash involving a Boeing 787, a widebody twin-engine aircraft introduced in 2009 and used extensively by airlines worldwide. More than 1,000 Dreamliners have been delivered, according to flight tracking data.
Boeing acknowledged the crash, saying it is “working to gather more information.” The crash could have significant implications ahead of the Paris Air Show, one of aviation’s most significant global showcases.
Shares of Boeing Co. dropped nearly 9% in premarket trading following the incident — a signal of investor anxiety surrounding the company’s safety record, which has come under scrutiny since the crashes of Lion Air Flight 610 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302, both involving the Boeing 737 Max 8.
Scene of Chaos and Heroism
The aircraft, fully loaded with fuel at takeoff, exploded into flames upon impact, complicating rescue operations. Firefighters focused on preventing secondary explosions as jet fuel spilled across the area. Local hospitals were flooded with emergency cases as ambulances transported the injured.
Indian Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu confirmed all resources were being deployed for relief, while Faiz Ahmed Kidwai, Director General of Civil Aviation, emphasized the need for a full investigation into the cause. The black box and flight recorder are being recovered.
This is India’s worst aviation disaster since 2020, when an Air India Express Boeing 737 skidded off a runway in Kerala, killing 21. The worst overall disaster remains the 1996 midair collision between a Saudi Arabian Airlines and Kazakhstan Airlines flight that killed 349 people.
International Coordination Begins
British and Indian officials have begun coordination for repatriation, medical aid, and crash investigations. With 1.9 million people of Indian descent in the U.K., the crash has touched many communities abroad.
Aviation experts and international watchdogs are now turning their attention to the Dreamliner’s safety systems, maintenance history, and flight path telemetry to determine what went wrong during AI 171’s short flight.
As the wreckage cools and investigations begin, questions about Boeing’s track record, pilot response time, and airport infrastructure in India will dominate both political and aviation circles.
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