Air India Flight To London Crashes into Residential Area Minutes After Takeoff

In a harrowing turn of events, Air India flight AI 171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, crashed shortly after taking off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad earlier today. The aircraft, operating a scheduled service to London Gatwick Airport, came down in the densely populated Meghani Nagar neighbourhood, just beyond the airport’s northern perimeter.

The crash took place around 1.39 pm IST (4.09pm SGT), with reports quickly surfacing of a fireball erupting on impact and thick black smoke billowing over the Meghani Nagar district.

A routine flight turns catastrophic

Flight AI 171 had departed as scheduled, carrying 242 people — 232 passengers and 12 crew. Just nine minutes into the flight, the crew issued a desperate “mayday” call. According to flight data, the plane managed to climb to only about 625 feet before it began losing altitude rapidly.

Eyewitnesses in Ahmedabad described the aircraft flying unusually low before crashing into a cluster of homes.

Massive rescue efforts and shock across India

Emergency responders, from firefighters, police to medical teams, reached the site within minutes. Roads around Meghani Nagar were sealed off as crews worked to put out the fire and rescue survivors.

The Civil Aviation Ministry and Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu, who described himself as “shocked and devastated”, have been overseeing rescue and relief efforts.

Who was onboard the Air India flight?

The aircraft was piloted by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, a senior aviator with over 8,200 flying hours, along with a co-pilot who had logged approximately 1,100 hours. Flight tracking site Flightradar24 showed a sudden descent shortly after takeoff, with an estimated drop rate of ~475 feet per minute.

There were 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, one Canadian national and seven Portuguese nationals onboard the flight.

Flight crash aftermath

Flight AI 171 had been scheduled to land in London Gatwick around 1.25 am SGT (6.25 pm UK time). Gatwick Airport and Air India have both issued statements, with further updates promised as investigations continue. Our hearts go out to all those affected by this tragedy.