Air India plane with 242 people onboard crashes near Ahmedabad airport in Gujarat

An Air India aircraft operating flight AI171 from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick crashed near the Ahmedabad airport on Thursday afternoon, sending thick plumes of smoke billowing into the sky and triggering emergency response operations.

Air India confirmed the involvement of flight AI171 in the incident and directed the public to its official website and X handle for updates.

Citing the initial ADS-B data from flight, flight tracking service Flightradar24 said the aircraft reached a maximum barometric altitude of 625 feet and then it started to descend with a vertical speed of 475 feet per minute.

The reason behind the crash is still not clear.

How many passengers were onboard?

Aviation regulator DGCA said that the Boeing 787 aircraft, registered VT-ANB, crashed in a residential area immediately after takeoff from Runway 23 at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at 1:39 pm. A total of 242 persons were onboard, including 2 pilots and 10 cabin crew members.

According to Air India, the passengers comprised 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese nationals and one Canadian national.

Who was flying the Air India plane?

The aircraft was commanded by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, a Line Training Captain (LTC) with 8,200 hours of flying experience. The First Officer, Clive Kundar, had logged 1,100 hours of flying time.

In a statement, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation said the aircraft gave a "Mayday" call shortly after takeoff but ceased all communication thereafter.

Flightradar24 said that it received the last signal from the aircraft at 08:08:51 UTC (13:38:51 IST), just seconds after take off.

PM Modi speaks to Civil Aviation Minister

Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu and took stock of the plane crash, reported PTI.

"The minister informed the prime minister that he is rushing to Ahmedabad to oversee rescue and relief operations on the ground," PTI quoted an official at the civil aviation ministry as saying.

"The prime minister has directed the minister to ensure all necessary support is extended immediately and asked to be kept regularly updated on the situation," the official said.

The National Disaster Response Force said that it has rushed teams comprising 80 personnel from Gandhinagar to the plane crash site.

Rescue and relief operations are underway at the site. A green corridor is being established to transport injured passengers for treatment and to hospitals.

Air India chairman statement

Air India chairman N Chandrasekaran said the airline is doing everything to assist the emergency response teams at the plane crash site and will provide all necessary support to those impacted by the mishap.

"With profound sorrow, I confirm that Air India flight, AI 171 operating Ahmedabad London Gatwick was involved in a tragic accident today. Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with the families and loved ones of all those affected by this devastating event," Chandrasekaran, who is also Tata Group Chairman, said in a statement.

At this moment, he said, "Our primary focus is on supporting all the affected people and their families. We are doing everything in our power to assist the emergency response teams at the site and provide all necessary support and care to those impacted".