Former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani was on board Air India flight AI-171, which crashed near the Ahmedabad airport in Gujarat on Thursday, June 12. According to reports, 232 passengers and 12 crew members were on board at the time of the crash. The airline released a list of passengers, which shows Vijay Rupani's name at number 12.
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According to the data, the Air India B787 Dreamliner aircraft was carrying 232 people on board its flight to Gatwick, including 50 British passengers. The flight also had 169 Indian, one Canadian, and seven Portuguese passengers.
Air India confirms that flight AI171, from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, was involved in an accident today after take-off. "The flight, which departed from Ahmedabad at 1338 hrs, was carrying 242 passengers and crew members on board the Boeing 787-8 aircraft. Of these, 169 are Indian nationals, 53 are British nationals, 1 Canadian national and 7 Portuguese nationals. The injured are being taken to the nearest hospitals. We have also set up a dedicated passenger hotline number 1800 5691 444 to provide more information. Air India is giving its full cooperation to the authorities investigating this incident," said Air India spokesperson.
According to the reports, Vijay Rupani’s neighbours showed concerns about his well-being. Anjali Rupan, Vijay Rupani's wife, is currently in London, and the leader was believed to be visiting Britain to bring her back to India. More details on Rupani’s injuries and his health are awaited. The flight crashed after taking off from the Ahmedabad airport. After the incident, clouds of thick black smoke were seen in the skies.
Former Minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasama said, "I had a program at Gujarat Vidyapeeth. After returning, I was having lunch and turned on the TV when I saw that a flight from Ahmedabad to London had crashed. I became worried because I knew Vijay Rupani was scheduled to travel to London today, though I didn’t know he was on this flight. I immediately turned off the TV and came to his residence in Gandhinagar. I am now heading to the civil airport for more information."
The spokesperson for Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport (SVPIA) said that the airport's flight operations are currently not operational. All flight operations are temporarily suspended until further notice.
"Passengers are advised to check with their respective airlines for the latest updates before proceeding to the airport. We request your cooperation and patience as authorities manage this evolving situation," said SVPIA Spokesperson.