A devastating tragedy struck India today as Air India flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner carrying 242 people, crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad en route to London’s Gatwick Airport. The aircraft went down in a densely populated residential area, igniting a massive fire and causing widespread destruction. Initial reports indicate that more than 200 people have died, with only one miraculous survivor found among the wreckage.
Eyewitnesses and video footage captured the horrifying moments as the plane banked sharply over rooftops before erupting in a fireball and crashing into a hostel at the B.J. Medical College. Emergency responders rushed to the scene, battling flames and searching for survivors amid the debris. Local hospitals received dozens of injured students and residents, as the crash site included both the aircraft’s passengers and people on the ground. The sole survivor, British national Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, recounted the terrifying ordeal, stating he awoke surrounded by bodies and managed to escape the wreckage with injuries.
The flight, which had 230 passengers and 12 crew members, included nationals from India, the UK, Portugal, and Canada. The crash has left families and communities in mourning, with Air India and its parent company Tata Group pledging financial support and immediate assistance to the victims’ families. The airline’s CEO, Campbell Wilson, emphasized that the company’s priority is to support those affected and cooperate fully with investigators.
Authorities have launched a comprehensive investigation into the cause of the crash, with India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation leading the probe, assisted by teams from the United States and the United Kingdom due to the aircraft’s international connections. Boeing, the plane’s manufacturer, expressed condolences and pledged technical support, as this marks the first fatal crash involving a Boeing 787 Dreamliner. As rescue and recovery efforts continue, the nation mourns one of its deadliest aviation disasters in recent memory.
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(Source: AL Jazeera | New York Times | ABC News)
