One person is now thought to have survived the Air India plane crash, after officials earlier claimed there were “no survivors.”
Flight AI171, an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, crashed shortly after departing Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport after sending a mayday signal to air traffic control.
Videos emerging from the scene show a black plume of smoke rising into the sky near buildings, with reports later confirming the plane had crashed into the BJ Medical College.
Confirming the news on social media, Air India wrote that their teams are now investigating further details about the crash.
India’s aviation minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu has responded to the news, saying that his team were on “highest alert.”
“I am personally monitoring the situation and have directed all aviation and emergency response agencies to take swift and coordinated action,” he said.
“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.”
India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, said: “The tragedy in Ahmedabad has stunned and saddened us. It is heartbreaking beyond words. In this sad hour, my thoughts are with everyone affected by it. Have been in touch with Ministers and authorities who are working to assist those affected.”
Here’s what we know so far…
The flight, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, was carrying 242 people
What type of plane crashed?
Air India has confirmed that the plane that crashed is Flight AI171, which was traveling from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad to London Gatwick Airport.
According to India’s aviation regulator, the flight departed today at 1.39pm local time and was meant to arrive in the UK in over nine hours.
The aircraft is a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, which can normally carry a total of 248 passengers.
How many people were on the Air India plane?
Air India has confirmed that a total of 242 passengers and crew were aboard the flight that crashed on June 12.
The flight carried 53 British nationals, 169 Indian nationals, one Canadian and seven Portuguese nationals.
Forty-year-old British national Vishwash Kumar Ramesh is the sole survivor of the crash.
People at the scene claimed that more than 100 bodies have been taken to a nearby hospital, and a number of people who were on the ground at the time of the crash may have been injured too.
The plane was piloted by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, who had 8,200 hours of flying experience, and co-pilot Clive Kundar, who had 1,100 hours of flying experience. There were also 10 crew members onboard.
The victims include Akeel Nanawaba, 36, his wife Hannaa Vorajee, 30, and their daughter Sarah, four, who were flying home from a five-day family celebration when the plane crashed.
Where did the plane crash?
The plane crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad, a city in western India, in the state of Gujarat.
It is understood that the incident occurred in the Meghani Nagar area of the city, a residential area just beyond the runway.
Reports say the plane crashed into accomodation for medical workers, where many students were having lunch at the time.
Why did the Air India plane crash?
India’s aviation regulator, DGCA, said in a statement that the aircraft issued a mayday call but then stopped responding and crashed immediately after takeoff.
Aviation experts believe the plane may have lost power during the critical climb phase.
Possible theories for the cause of the crash include a bird strike, rapid wind change or engine stall.
Authorities have already found one of the plane’s two black boxes that will help in revealing what triggered the accident.
Ahmedabad is the state capital of Gujarat in the northwestern region of India.
It is 500km north of Mumbai and home to more than 7 million people.