Payam Javan: An Air India Boeing 787, flight AI 171, crashed into a residential area near Ahmedabad airport in western India on Thursday, just five minutes after takeoff at 1:38 p.m. local time. The London-bound flight carried 232 passengers and 12 crew members, including 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, one Canadian, and seven Portuguese nationals. Emergency teams were swiftly deployed, and a “Mayday” call was issued by the aircraft before communication was lost, according to India’s aviation regulator. Visuals showed burning debris and thick black smoke at the crash site, with rescue operations underway to transport the injured to nearby hospitals via a designated green corridor.

India’s federal health minister, Jagat Prakash Nadda, expressed grief over the loss of lives, calling the incident “extremely sad” on X. Gujarat’s Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel ordered immediate rescue and relief efforts, prioritizing medical treatment for the injured. Air India Chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran described the crash as a “tragic accident,” extending condolences and pledging support for affected families and emergency response teams. The experienced pilot, Capt Sumeet Sabharwal, had 8,200 hours of flying experience, while the copilot had 1,100 hours. The flight was scheduled to land at London’s Gatwick Airport at 6:25 p.m. UK time.