Air India Flight To UK Crashes

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Air India flight to the UK crashes during take-off in Ahmedabad

43m ago43 minutes ago

 

London bound Air India flight crashes during take-off

In short:

An Air India plane carrying more than 200 people on board has crashed during take-off in western India.

Flight AI171 was travelling to London's Gatwick Airport when it crashed in a civilian area near to an airport in the city of Ahmedabad, local police reported.

Visuals from near to the crash site showed debris on fire, with thick black smoke rising up into the sky near the airport.

An Air India plane with more than 200 people on board has crashed in western India, near to the airport in the city of Ahmedabad, according to the airline and police officials.

Those authorities have not yet specified whether there were any fatalities

The plane was travelling to London's Gatwick Airport in the UK, Air India said. Local police have reported that the flight crashed in a civilian area near to the airport.

"At this moment, we are ascertaining the details and will share further updates," Air India said on X.

The crash occurred when the aircraft was taking off, the TV channels reported. Visuals from near to the crash site showed debris on fire, with thick black smoke rising up into the sky near the airport as well as people being moved in stretchers and being taken away in ambulances.

At least 242 people were on board the flight, police in Ahmedabad reported.

Faiz Ahmed Kidwai, the director-general of the directorate of civil aviation, told The Associated Press that Air India flight AI171, a Boeing 787, crashed into a residential area called Meghani Nagar five minutes after taking off at 1:38pm local time (6:38pm AEST).

Mr Kidwai said there were at least 232 passengers and 12 crew members on board and emergency teams had been activated at the airport in Ahmedabad.

According to air traffic control at Ahmedabad airport, the aircraft departed at 1.39pm local time from runway 23. It gave a "Mayday" call, signalling an emergency, but thereafter there was no response from the aircraft.

Flightradar24 also said it received the last signal from the aircraft seconds after it took off.

"The aircraft involved is a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner with registration VT-ANB," Flightradar said.

Natarajan Chandrasekaran, the chairman of the Tata Group — which is a majority owner of Air India — said the company's "primary focus" was supporting the families of victims on board and assisting with the emergency response.

"With profound sorrow I confirm that Air India Flight 171 operating Ahmedabad London Gatwick was involved in a tragic accident today," he said in a post on X.

"Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with the families and loved ones of all those affected by this devastating event.

"Our primary focus is on supporting all the affected people and their families. We are doing everything in our power to assist the emergency response teams at the site and to provide all necessary support and care to those impacted."

India's aviation minster said he was "shocked and devastated" by the accident, saying his "thoughts and prayers are with all those on board and their families".

"I am personally monitoring the situation and have directed all aviation and emergency response agencies to take swift and coordinated action," Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu said in a statement.

[Coss]

Jeeze - 

A British man has walked away from the wreckage of the Air India crash that killed 241 people in an extraordinary tale of survival. 

Vishwashkumar Ramesh was in seat 11A on the London-bound Boeing 787-8 flight when it crashed shortly after take off in Ahmedabad, western India.

Mr Ramesh's brother, Nayan Kumar Ramesh, told BBC News Vishwashkumar "has no idea how he survived" and escaped the plane as the only survivor.

Air India said all other passengers and crew were killed - including 169 Indian nationals and 52 other Britons. LINK

 

 

[Coss]

probably too soon:

 

authorities are trying to ascertain if the survivor is David Webb.

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Or John Michael Kane

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11 hours ago, Coss said:

probably too soon:

Never too soon here and I'm guessing across the ditch as well. Still think the Rolf Harris one up their with the best.