A devastating tragedy struck on Thursday afternoon when an Air India flight carrying 242 passengers crashed in Meghaninagar, just minutes after takeoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad. The aircraft, en route to London, went down near the airport perimeter, triggering chaos and horror in the area. Eyewitnesses reported hearing a deafening explosion, followed by thick clouds of smoke billowing into the sky from the crash site. All flight operations at the airport have since been temporarily suspended.
“I was at home when we heard a massive sound,” said one eyewitness. “When we went out to see what had happened, there was a layer of thick smoke in the air. When we came here, dead bodies and debris from the crashed aircraft were scattered all over.” Emergency response teams, including fire services, disaster response units, and local law enforcement, rushed to the site and began search and rescue operations immediately. The cause of the crash is not yet known, and Air India officials have released a full passenger list or casualty details as of this writing. Authorities have cordoned off the area and urged the public to avoid gathering near the site to allow rescue operations to proceed unhindered.
Air India chairman N Chandrasekaran shared condolences for the people affected by the tragic event. "At this moment, our primary focus is on supporting all the affected people and their families. We are doing everything in our power to assist the emergency response teams at the site and to provide all necessary support and care to those impacted," he said. Chandrasekaran further informed that an emergency centre has been activated and support team have been set up for families seeking information.
-Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel said he has instructed officials to carry out immediate rescue and relief work and arrange for immediate treatment of the injured passengers on a war footing. "I have also instructed to arrange for a green corridor to take the injured passengers for treatment and to ensure all arrangements for treatment in the hospital on priority basis. Union Home Minister Amit Shah has also spoken to me and assured full cooperation," he said. -Home Minister Amit Shah is currently on his way to Ahmedabad. Taking to X, he wrote, "Pained beyond words by the tragic plane crash in Ahmedabad. Disaster response forces have been quickly rushed to the crash site. Spoke with the Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi, and Commissioner of Police Ahmedabad to assess the situation."