Ahmedabad plane crash visuals: Parts of Air India aircraft reportedly fell in residential area. Watch here

Air India flight AI-171 crashed shortly after take-off near Ahmedabad airport on June 12. The London-bound Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner was carrying 242 people on board (171 passengers + crew) when it went down. Visuals from the site showed thick plumes of smoke rising from the ground, while videos soon after the incident showed passengers being wheeled into hospitals for emergency care. 

A senior police officer told ANI, “Preliminary, we came to know that an Air India flight bound to London has crashed at the doctors' hostel. Within 2-3 minutes, police and other agencies reached the spot. Almost 70-80 % of the area has been cleaned. All agencies are working here...” 

The plane, commanded by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal with First Officer Clive Kundar, crashed just minutes after takeoff from runway 23 at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. It gave a distress call to ATC, but lost contact soon after. 

Officials said a detailed investigation has been ordered, and more information will be released after preliminary findings are available. As of Thursday afternoon, rescue operations were still ongoing. No official word yet on the number of casualties. The injured are being taken to the nearest hospitals. 

Air India in a statement confirmed that flight AI171, from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, was involved in an accident today after take-off. “The flight, which departed from Ahmedabad at 1338 hrs, was carrying 242 passengers and crew members on board the Boeing 787-8 aircraft. Of these, 169 are Indian nationals, 53 are British nationals, 1 Canadian national and 7 Portuguese nationals,” the airline said. 

Air India chairman N Chandrasekharan said that the Tata Group has set activated an emergency centre and a support team has been set up for families seeking information about their loved ones. 

The flight operations at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport (SVPIA) have been temporarily suspended till further notice.