KATHMANDU, June 12: A tragic plane crash occurred in Gujarat, India, on Thursday. An Air India aircraft with flight number AI-171, which had taken off from Ahmedabad airport en route to London, crashed just two minutes after takeoff.
The aircraft reportedly departed the airport at 1:38 PM (Indian time) and crashed within two minutes.
Based on public photos and videos, it appears the aircraft failed to gain the required altitude after takeoff. It is seen gradually descending, becoming obstructed, and then a plume of black smoke suddenly emerges. As the aircraft crashed in a residential area, significant damage is suspected, although a full official report has not yet been released.
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According to publicly available information, there were 242 people on board, including 230 adult passengers, two infants, and ten crew members. BBC Hindi reported that the main pilot was Sumit Sabharwal and the co-pilot was Klaib Kundar.
Indian media outlets have reported that the passengers included 169 Indians, 53 Britons, one Canadian, and seven Portuguese nationals.
100 bodies recovered
Dainik Bhaskar has published an unconfirmed report stating that 100 bodies have been recovered so far. The images suggest that the bodies were severely burned.
It is reported that thousands of rescue personnel, along with hundreds of fire engines and ambulances, have been deployed to the crash site.
Airport closed
Following the crash, all flights and landings at Ahmedabad airport have reportedly been suspended. Media outlets cited a spokesperson from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport as saying the airport has been temporarily closed.
Pilot had 8,200 flying hours
The aircraft was piloted by Captain Sumit Sabharwal, who had logged 8,200 hours of flight time. His co-pilot, Klaib Kundar, had 1,100 hours of flight experience, according to Indian media reports.
11.5-year-old aircraft
The crashed aircraft was a Boeing 787 Dreamliner. It had reportedly completed 44,000 flight cycles. Such aircraft typically have an operational lifespan of 30 to 50 years. Indian media reported that this particular aircraft was 11.5 years old.
