Former Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani dies in Air India crash, confirms BJP's CR Patil

Former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, who was on board the Air India flight that crashed shortly after takeoff in Ahmedabad on Thursday, has died, BJP's state president CR Patil confirmed.

Rupani, a senior BJP leader, had served as chief minister of Gujarat from 2016 to 2021, after being elected to the state legislative assembly from the Rajkot seat. His presence on the London-bound Air India flight had been widely reported in the hours following the crash.

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner, operating as AI171 from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, crashed into a residential area in Meghaninagar just minutes after takeoff from the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. The aircraft was carrying 242 people, including 232 passengers and 10 crew members.

Local residents and eyewitnesses said the aircraft lost altitude quickly and crashed in a fireball that caused significant damage to residential quarters of BJ Medical College doctors. Many were feared dead, though officials said formal identification and casualty figures would come after rescue efforts concluded.