Tragedy struck early Thursday morning when an Air India flight bound for London crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad, India, with 242 people on board. The Boeing 787-8 aircraft, carrying 230 passengers and 12 crew members, went down in a civilian area near the airport.
India’s civil aviation minister, Rammohan Naidu Kinjarapu, expressed shock over the crash, stating on social media: “Shocked and devastated to learn about the flight crash in Ahmedabad. We are on highest alert. I am personally monitoring the situation and have directed all aviation and emergency response agencies to take swift and coordinated action.”
The flight, which departed at 1:38 a.m., included passengers from multiple nationalities: 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, one Canadian national, and seven Portuguese nationals, according to Air India’s statement.
Rescue teams have been mobilized, and efforts are underway to provide medical aid and relief support at the crash site. India’s federal health minister indicated that “many people” were killed, but exact numbers are yet to be confirmed.
Authorities are investigating the cause of the crash, as families await news of their loved ones.
