AHMEDABAD, June 12 – An Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner carrying 242 passengers and crew crashed shortly after taking off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad on Thursday, with multiple fatalities reported.
The plane, which was headed to London’s Gatwick Airport, went down in a residential area near the airport, sparking a massive rescue operation. Reports indicate that the aircraft crashed into a doctors’ hostel, causing widespread damage and casualties.
According to eyewitnesses, the plane crashed in the first 30 seconds after taking off from the airport. Images from the scene show uneaten food on tables at the doctors’ hostel.
“It was a horrific scene. The plane crashed into the hostel, and there are reports of multiple fatalities,” said an eyewitness.
The passengers on board included 169 Indians, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian national. Former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani was also on the plane and is reported to have lost his life in the accident.
Sources told The Chenab Times that one person has survived the crash, while 241 passengers and crew members are feared dead. The survivor, who jumped from the second floor of the hostel, has been hospitalized with injuries. Ramila, the mother of one of the survivors from Medical College Hostel, spoke from the Civil Hospital in Ahmedabad, her voice trembling with emotion.
“My son had gone back to his hostel during the lunch break, and the plane crashed there,” she said, holding back tears. “He is safe. I spoke to him. He jumped from the second floor and got injured.”
The cause of the crash is still unknown, and an investigation has been launched by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB). The Indian government has expressed shock and grief over the incident, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi conveying condolences to the families of the victims.
The Tata Group, which owns Air India, has announced a compensation of Rs 1 crore to the families of each person who lost their life in the tragedy. The company has also set up a dedicated passenger hotline number (1800 5691 444) to provide more information to the families of the victims.
International leaders, including Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Russian President Vladimir Putin, have also expressed their condolences to the Indian government and people.
The crash has sparked widespread shock and grief, with many expressing their condolences on social media. The Indian aviation industry has also been shaken by the incident, which is one of the worst plane crashes in the country’s history.
Rescue teams, including the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), have been deployed to the crash site to assist in the rescue efforts. The Ahmedabad Civil Hospital has also been put on high alert, with medical teams working to treat the injured.
The Maharashtra government has released helpline numbers for the relatives of victims, and the UK government has set up crisis teams in Delhi and London to support the families of British nationals on board.
The AAIB has launched an investigation into the crash, with a team of experts dispatched to the crash site. Boeing has also issued a statement, saying that it is aware of the incident and is working to gather more information.
This is a developing story, and further updates will be provided as more information becomes available.
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Anzer Ayoob is the Founder and Chief Editor to The Chenab Times
