AHMEDABAD: A London-bound Air India flight crashed during take-off at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad on Thursday, prompting a swift and large-scale emergency response from airport and city authorities.
The incident occurred on the airport tarmac during what officials described as routine operations. Preliminary reports suggest the aircraft veered off the runway, although the exact cause remains under investigation. Multiple fire and rescue units were immediately dispatched to the scene as emergency protocols were activated.
According to sources, the aircraft was carrying 242 passengers at the time of the crash. While official injury figures have not yet been confirmed, local media reports indicate that several passengers may have been injured during the crash sequence.
A senior official from the Ahmedabad Fire and Emergency Services Department confirmed that at least five firefighting vehicles were mobilised from various city divisions. “Fire control measures are being taken as a precaution. Our teams are actively working to manage the situation,” the official stated.
Residents of Meghani Nagar, a neighbourhood near the airport, reported hearing a loud noise followed by plumes of smoke rising from the crash site. Some early, unverified reports also suggested that the aircraft may have impacted a section of the surrounding residential area.
Airport officials have initiated an internal investigation into the cause of the crash. A technical inspection of the aircraft is underway, and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has been notified. A full independent probe by the DGCA is expected to follow.
This latest crash adds to a list of aviation tragedies in India. In August 2020, an Air India Express flight crash-landed in Kozhikode, Kerala, killing 21 people. One of India’s deadliest air disasters occurred in 1996 near Charkhi Dadri, involving a mid-air collision between Saudi Arabian Airlines and Kazakhstan Airlines, which killed 349 people.
As the investigation progresses, updates are expected from Air India, the DGCA, and local officials. The incident highlights the continued need for rigorous aviation safety protocols, even as India’s aviation sector expands and modernises.
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