One passenger survived the tragic crash of Air India’s flight AI171 near Ahmedabad and is currently under medical care at Civil Hospital, confirmed the city’s Commissioner of Police on Thursday.
The survivor, identified as British national Bishwas Kumar Ramesh, was seated on 11A of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
The flight was headed to London Gatwick from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport and carried 242 people, including 230 passengers and 12 crew members.
Flight carried passengers from multiple countries
Of the total on board, 169 were Indian nationals, 53 were British, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian. The aircraft departed at 1.38 PM and issued a Mayday call moments later but lost contact before further communication.
The cockpit was manned by Capt. Sumeet Sabharwal, with over 8,200 flying hours, and First Officer Clive Kundar, who had logged 1,100 hours. The crash occurred just outside the airport boundary.
Air India mourns, investigation underway
The incident marks the first major Air India crash since the airline was privatised in January 2022. As a sign of mourning, Air India turned its official X profile and cover photo black.
N Chandrasekaran, Chairman of Air India, posted his condolences and said the airline is focused on supporting families of the victims. “We are doing everything to assist emergency teams and support affected families,” he further stated.
DGCA officials reached the site to collect flight data and cockpit recordings. Boeing representatives are expected to join the investigation.
The airline has activated a passenger helpline at 1800 5691 444.
Investigators suspect a takeoff failure caused the Air India crash, though an official conclusion is pending.
Also Read: Ahmedabad Plane Crash: Former Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani On Board Ahmedabad-London Flight
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