AHMEDABAD, India (BN24) — Air India confirmed Thursday that passengers aboard its London-bound flight that crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad airport included citizens from India, Britain, Portugal and Canada, marking the first-ever crash of a Boeing 787 aircraft.
The airline reported the flight was carrying 242 passengers and crew members overall, though Indian officials had previously stated 244 people were aboard the aircraft. Air India specified that among those on the flight were 169 Indians, 53 British citizens, seven Portuguese nationals and one Canadian passenger.
Local television channels broadcast footage showing smoke billowing from the crash site near the airport in Ahmedabad, a northwestern Indian city with a population exceeding 5 million residents.
Faiz Ahmed Kidwai, director general of the directorate of civil aviation, told The Associated Press that Air India flight AI 171, operating a Boeing 787-8 aircraft, crashed into a residential area called Meghani Nagar approximately five minutes after departing at 1:38 p.m. local time.
The flight carried 232 passengers and 12 crew members and had been scheduled to arrive at London’s Gatwick Airport, according to Kidwai’s statement. Gatwick Airport confirmed on social media platform X that the flight, originally due to arrive at 6:25 p.m. London time, had crashed during departure from Ahmedabad.
India’s Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu posted on X that rescue teams had been mobilized with all efforts focused on ensuring medical aid and relief support reached the crash site.
“We are on highest alert. I am personally monitoring the situation,” the minister stated in his social media post.
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner involved in the crash represents a widebody, twin-engine aircraft design. According to the Aviation Safety Network database, this incident marks the first crash in the operational history of Boeing 787 aircraft.
Boeing introduced the 787 Dreamliner in 2009, and more than 1,000 units have been delivered to dozens of airlines worldwide, according to flight tracking website Flightradar24.
Air India Chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran emphasized that the airline’s immediate priority centered on supporting affected individuals and their families. He announced on X that Air India had established an emergency center and dedicated support team to assist families seeking information about flight passengers.
“Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with the families and loved ones of all those affected by this devastating event,” Chandrasekaran stated in his message.
The crash represents a significant aviation incident for Air India and the broader aviation industry, given the 787’s previously unblemished safety record since entering commercial service. The international composition of passengers aboard the flight underscores the global nature of the tragedy, affecting families across multiple countries.
Emergency response teams continue working at the crash site in the Meghani Nagar residential area, where the aircraft came down minutes after takeoff. The proximity of the crash site to populated areas raises additional concerns about potential ground casualties and property damage.
Air India’s London route represents one of the carrier’s key international connections, serving significant Indian diaspora populations in the United Kingdom as well as business and leisure travelers between the two countries. The airline’s emergency response protocols have been activated to manage the crisis and provide support to affected families.
The Aviation Safety Network’s confirmation that this represents the first Boeing 787 crash will likely prompt intensive investigation by aviation authorities to determine the cause of the accident. The 787 Dreamliner’s safety record had been considered exemplary throughout its operational history spanning more than a decade.
Rescue operations continue at the crash site as authorities work to account for all passengers and crew members aboard the flight, while emergency services coordinate medical response efforts for any survivors.
