An Air India passenger plane crashed in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. The plane crashed shortly after takeoff at 1:38 pm local time on Thursday. The destination was London’s Gatwick Airport.
There were a total of 242 passengers on board the plane. Of them, 217 adults, 11 children and 2 infants. Of these, 169 were Indians, 53 British, 7 Portuguese and 1 Canadian, Air India said.
The crashed plane is a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner model. It is one of the modern passenger planes and this is the first major accident of this model.
The plane lost control after taking off from Ahmedabad Airport and reaching an altitude of just 825 feet and crashed into a nearby residential area. The accident site was the doctors’ hostel of BJ Medical College.
According to Indian media reports, at least 30 to 35 bodies have been recovered. Five medical students died on the spot, many others were injured. They were eating lunch in the hostel canteen at the time of the incident.
The plane crashed and crashed into the building, causing some to enter inside. Debris was scattered everywhere. Fire service and rescue workers were at the scene pulling the injured by hand and putting them on stretchers.
The airline said, “The injured are being taken to the hospital and efforts are being made to find out the details of the incident.”
Meanwhile, British Minister Keir Starmer, expressing his condolences and sympathy for the deceased, said in a statement, “The incident is very tragic, we are keeping an eye on it.”
The plane crash is seen as a big blow not only for Air India but also for the Boeing company. An investigation is underway, and more information will be provided soon, according to the relevant authorities. Source: Reuters