New Delhi: There was a huge blast and a black column of smoke rose as the London-bound Air India plane crashed into a hospital’s hostel mess shortly after taking off from the Ahmedabad airport Thursday afternoon, according to an eyewitness.
“The flight was in the air and suddenly it wasn’t. It dropped and crashed. A black plume of smoke rose. There was a huge blast, the sky is still black,” M.S. Prajapathy told ThePrint, describing the moments the dreamliner went down.
Prajapathy, who works as a driver in the city, said his house is just five minutes from the crash site Meghaninagar, a locality near the airport. The plane crashed directly on the government-run B.J. Medical College and Civil Hospital’s hostel mess in Meghaninagar.
“The flight crashed into one of the four hostel buildings of the civil hospital. It first touched one building and then the other. The scenes are tragic here. Police and medical teams are rushing the injured and the deceased to the hospital,” he said.
A total of 242 people including two pilots and 10 crew members were on board the Air India flight that crashed in Ahmedabad on Thursday noon. The flight was bound for Gatwick airport, London.
In a statement, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said, “On 12 Jun, M/s Air India B787 Aircraft VT-ANB while operating flight AI-171 from (Ahmedabad to Gatwick) crashed immediately after takeoff from Ahmedabad. There were 242 people on board the aircraft consisting of 2 pilots and 10 cabin crew. The aircraft was under the command of Capt Sumeet Sabharwal with First Officer Clive Kundar. Capt Sumeet Sabharwal is a LTC with 8200 Hrs of experience. The copilot had 1100Hrs of flying experience”.
The aircraft had taken off at 1:38 pm from runway 23. Right after the take-off, a Mayday call was given to the Air Traffic Control (ATC) but no response was received from the aircraft, the DGCA said.
Most people on board the aircraft are feared dead.
“Shocked and devastated to learn about the flight crash in Ahmedabad. We are on highest alert. I am personally monitoring the situation and have directed all aviation and emergency response agencies to take swift and coordinated action. Rescue teams have been mobilised, and all efforts are being made to ensure medical aid and relief support are being rushed to the site. My thoughts and prayers are with all those on board and their families,” Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu posted on X.
(Edited by Ajeet Tiwari)