Ahmedabad: Union Home Minister Amit Shah arrived in Ahmedabad this evening to personally assess the tragic situation following the crash of an Air India flight (AI171) bound for London Gatwick. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, carrying 242 people including 12 crew members, crashed in the Meghaninagar area shortly after takeoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at approximately 1:38 PM IST.
Upon his arrival, Minister Shri Shah immediately proceeded to the crash site to review the ongoing rescue and relief operations. He was accompanied by Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, and Gujarat Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi.
Earlier in the day, soon after the news of the devastating incident broke, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had spoken with both Union Home Minister Shri Shah and Civil Aviation Minister Shri Naidu, directing them to provide all necessary support and closely monitor the situation.
Minister Shri Shah expressed his profound grief over the tragedy, stating on X (formerly Twitter), “Pained beyond words by the tragic plane crash in Ahmedabad. Disaster response forces have been quickly rushed to the crash site.” He confirmed having spoken with CM Bhupendra Patel, Gujarat Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi, and the Ahmedabad Police Commissioner to assess the immediate situation and coordinate response efforts.
Ahmedabad Police Commissioner G.S. Malik confirmed that a sole survivor has been found in seat 11A and is currently receiving treatment at a hospital. However, he cautioned that the death toll may rise significantly as the flight crashed in a residential area. Former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani is also among the confirmed casualties, as announced by Union Minister and Gujarat BJP president CR Patil.
Multiple agencies have been mobilized for the extensive rescue and relief operations. The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has deployed approximately 150 personnel from the 100 Battalion of the Rapid Action Force (RAF) and the CRPF’s Group Centre in Gandhinagar. Additionally, three National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams, comprising 90 personnel from Gandhinagar, along with three more teams from Vadodara, are actively involved in the efforts.
Air India confirmed that flight AI171, which departed from Ahmedabad at 1338 hrs, was involved in the accident. Of the 230 passengers, 169 were Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, 1 Canadian national, and 7 Portuguese nationals. The airline has activated an emergency response center and established a support team for families seeking information. Flight operations at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport have been temporarily suspended until further notice.
Thick black smoke was seen billowing for miles around the crash site, and eyewitnesses reported a massive blaze. Emergency responders, including fire and medical teams, were immediately dispatched to the scene, rushing the injured to the city’s civil hospital. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) reported that the aircraft gave a “MAYDAY” call after takeoff but no further communication was received before it crashed outside the airport perimeter. Investigations into the cause of the tragic accident are underway.