Ahmedabad airport suspends operations after Air India flight crashes near takeoff point, relief ops underway

Air India flight AI171, en route from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, crashed just five minutes after takeoff on Thursday afternoon, prompting a nationwide emergency response. The incident occurred near the Meghani area, close to the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport (SVPIA).

The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, carrying 242 people — including 230 passengers and 12 crew members — was piloted by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal and First Officer Clive Kundar. According to flight tracking data, the aircraft took off at approximately 1:38 p.m. IST.

Debris from the aircraft, some of it still smoldering, was scattered across the crash site, which partially impacted the doctors' hostel complex in the vicinity. Emergency response teams from multiple agencies, including local police, fire brigade, NDRF, and aviation authorities, swiftly arrived at the scene. Officials report that 70-80% of the crash zone has already been cleared.

Out of the total passengers, 169 were Indian nationals, 53 were British, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian. The Ministry of Civil Aviation has activated an Operational Control Room to coordinate all response efforts. Concerned families and the public can reach the control room via 011-24610843 and 9650391859. Additionally, Air India has issued a dedicated passenger assistance hotline at 1800-5691-444.

As a mark of mourning, Air India changed its profile picture to a black icon across all official social media platforms. Ambulances were seen arriving at the Civil Hospital in Ahmedabad to facilitate medical response and identification efforts.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been briefed on the incident and has spoken directly to Home Minister Amit Shah and Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu, instructing them to rush to Ahmedabad and oversee relief measures.

Meanwhile, operations at SVPIA have been suspended until further notice. Authorities have urged travelers to check with airlines for updates on flight schedules and diversions.