Air India Passenger Plane Crash Claims Lives in Ahmedabad

An Air India flight carrying 242 passengers crashes shortly after takeoff in Ahmedabad, raising serious safety concerns.

An Air India passenger aircraft, Flight AI171, met with a tragic fate on Thursday, crashing shortly after departing from Ahmedabad airport, located in the western Indian state of Gujarat. The aircraft was bound for Gatwick Airport in London when the incident occurred, and authorities are racing to assess the situation.

On board the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner were 242 individuals, with Air India reporting a mix of nationalities: 169 Indians, 53 Britons, one Canadian, and seven Portuguese. India’s Minister of Civil Aviation, Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu, took to social media expressing shock at the accident and confirmed that those injured were being rushed to local hospitals for treatment.

Eyewitness videos showcased thick black smoke rising near the airport, indicating a severe accident had taken place. Though details on the number of casualties remain unknown, Air India confirmed its flight “was involved in an accident today after takeoff,” further escalating concerns regarding the airline’s safety practices.

Historically, Air India has faced criticism regarding its safety record. The last major incident before this crash occurred in 2020, when an Air India Express flight skidded on a wet runway in Kerala, resulting in the deaths of at least 17 people. With the rapid growth of India's aviation sector in recent years, many have raised alarms over safety measures and professionalism within the industry.

While the reasons behind this latest crash are still unclear, authorities are committed to investigating the incident as they navigate through growing worries regarding passenger safety in Indian aviation.