A London-bound Air India flight crashed this afternoon shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad, with 242 people onboard. Among them were 169 Indian nationals, 53 British citizens, seven Portuguese nationals, and one Canadian citizen.

The flight, numbered AI171, was on its way to London Gatwick when the accident happened soon after departure at 1:38 pm. The aircraft involved was a Boeing 787-8.

Airline confirms incident, emergency teams responding

In an official statement, Air India said, “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 13:38 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 airline added that the injured passengers are being taken to nearby 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,” the statement said.

Air India also mentioned that they will keep the public updated through regular posts on their social media platforms.

India's Civil Aviation Minister, Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu, shared that he is closely watching the situation and has asked all aviation and emergency teams to act quickly and in coordination. “My thoughts and prayers are with all those on board and their families,” he wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also spoken to the Civil Aviation Minister and is staying informed about the ongoing rescue and response efforts.

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