Ahmedabad, June 12 (NationPress) An Air India flight, designated AI171, was tragically involved in a crash shortly after its departure from Ahmedabad, heading towards London's Gatwick Airport. The incident occurred just minutes after takeoff on Thursday afternoon, leading to the immediate suspension of all operations at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport.

In light of this emergency, the airport has ceased all flight activities until further notice. An airport representative confirmed, "Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport is presently non-operational. All incoming and outgoing flights are on hold temporarily."

To assist concerned families and friends, Air India has established a dedicated hotline at 1800 5691 444 for updates regarding passengers. Currently, no official information has been released regarding potential casualties or survivors. However, various images from the crash site depict extensive destruction to nearby buildings, with the aircraft's fuselage lodged into a hostel.

Flying a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner with 242 passengers on board, the flight took off from Ahmedabad at 1:38 p.m. and crashed five minutes later in a residential area of Meghani Nagar, just outside the airport's boundary. The crash caused thick black smoke to fill the air, creating panic among local residents.

The flight was piloted by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, a veteran with over 8,200 flying hours, and First Officer Clive Kundar, who has logged 1,100 hours.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has reported that the aircraft issued a "Mayday" call shortly after takeoff, after which communication was lost. Preliminary investigations suggest the likelihood of multiple bird strikes leading to engine failure; however, officials emphasize that a thorough investigation will determine the exact cause.

The DGCA stated, "The aircraft crashed into a residential area five minutes post takeoff. A team, including Assistant Directors of Airworthiness and a Flight Operations Inspector, was already in Ahmedabad and is gathering information at the site."

Emergency response units, comprising seven fire engines and three teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) based in Gandhinagar, arrived promptly at the scene.

Additionally, three more NDRF teams are being dispatched from Vadodara to support rescue and relief efforts. Air India has acknowledged the crash via social media, stating: "Flight AI171, operating from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, was involved in an incident today, June 12, 2025. We are working to gather details and will provide updates promptly." The airline affirmed its commitment to cooperating with investigating authorities. According to flight tracking service Flightradar24, the aircraft was registered as VT-ANB and had previously flown from Delhi to Ahmedabad earlier that day.

The passenger list, obtained by India Today, includes 169 Indians, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian. Among the passengers was former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani. Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu is en route to Ahmedabad to evaluate the situation.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reviewed the incident and instructed authorities to commence urgent rescue and relief operations.

Further information is awaited as investigations and rescue efforts proceed.