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BY NIGERIANFLIGHTDECK with AGENCY REPORTS
A devastating aviation tragedy struck Ahmedabad on Thursday as an Air India Dreamliner crash claimed the aircraft and endangered all onboard. Flight AI171 was en route to London’s Gatwick Airport when it went down moments after takeoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport.
The aircraft had 230 passengers and 12 crew members, making a total of 242 people on board. According to eyewitnesses, the aircraft struggled to gain altitude and then plummeted near the airport perimeter. Air India confirmed that the flight included 169 Indian nationals, 53 British citizens, seven Portuguese nationals, and one Canadian passenger.
Tracking website Flightradar24 reported that the last transmission from the aircraft came at an altitude of just 625 feet. This signal was received only seconds after takeoff, indicating that the crash occurred almost immediately after departure.
It crashed into a doctors’ hostel close to the runway and erupted into flames, sending thick black smoke into the sky.
A senior police officer told the ANI news agency that rescue teams, including police, firefighters, and civic workers, arrived at the site within minutes. Emergency response operations are still ongoing, with multiple rescue units deployed to control the situation and assist survivors.
This tragedy marks the first-ever hull loss involving a Boeing 787 Dreamliner since the aircraft entered commercial service in 2011. As of press time, the number of casualties has not been confirmed. However, both federal and local authorities have mobilised large-scale resources for recovery and investigation efforts.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has spoken with the Minister of Civil Aviation, Rammohan Naidu, to assess the situation. The central government has pledged full support for the ongoing emergency response, while the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has launched an investigation into the crash.
While the exact cause of the Air India Dreamliner crash remains undetermined, the aircraft model itself has a well-established reputation for safety. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, introduced in 2011, is a long-haul, wide-body aircraft designed for fuel efficiency and passenger comfort.
Until Thursday, the Boeing 787 had maintained a clean safety record with no fatal crashes or hull losses. This event has therefore stunned both the global aviation community and the Indian public.
As rescue teams continue to work through the wreckage, investigators are expected to examine flight data and cockpit recordings to determine what went wrong. For now, India mourns a rare and tragic chapter in its aviation history.
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