KATHMANDU: A tragic aviation accident occurred on Thursday afternoon when an Air India flight bound for the United Kingdom crashed shortly after takeoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad. The incident happened at around 1:38 pm, just moments after the plane lifted off the runway.
The aircraft was carrying 242 people on board, including 2 pilots and 10 cabin crew members. Air India confirmed that among the passengers were 217 adults and 11 children. Nationality-wise, the passengers included 169 Indian nationals, 53 British, 7 Portuguese and 1 Canadian.
The flight was heavily fueled for its long-haul journey to the UK, which is believed to have intensified the explosion and fire that followed the crash. Eyewitnesses in nearby residential areas reported seeing the plane take off and then disappearing from sight, followed by a loud blast and thick smoke rising into the sky, Indian television channels reported.
Aviation tracking website Flightradar24 identified the aircraft as a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, one of the most advanced aircraft in commercial aviation.
Indian authorities have begun a thorough investigation to determine the cause of the crash. Emergency response teams were quick to arrive at the scene and rescue operations are ongoing.
