Air India Plane Crash in Ahmedabad Live News Updates: An Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner (VT-ANB), operating from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick airport, crashed shortly after takeoff from on Thursday afternoon, with 242 people on board, including two pilots and 10 cabin crew members. 169 Indians, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian national were on board.
What is the current situation? Reacting to the crash, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the incident has “stunned and saddened everyone”. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport (SVPIA) in Ahmedabad has been shut till further notice. State officials said the crash took place around nine minutes after the plane got clearance for takeoff. According to officials at the spot, dense smoke posed a challenge to rescue operations, which are still underway.
What has Air India said? A statement issued by Air India read, “Flight AI171, operating Ahmedabad-London Gatwick, was involved in an incident today. At this moment, we are ascertaining the details and will share further updates at the earliest.” Air India has also set up a dedicated passenger hotline number, 1800 5691 444, to provide more information.
