Air India Disaster: Flight AI-171 Crash Claims Nearly 300 Lives

New Delhi: London-bound Air India Flight AI-171, carrying 242 passengers, crashed 30 seconds after takeoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, Ahmedabad, in one of India's worst aviation disasters. The aircraft, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, crashed near Meghaninagar in Ahmedabad around 2 p.m. local time on Thursday.

Barring one, all 242 people who were on board the Air India flight have been confirmed dead by the Ahmedabad police.

According to police sources, a number of bodies were recovered from the Atulyam Flats, the Civil Hospital staff Quarters in Meghani Nagar, Ahmedabad, upon which the flight crashed.

The aircraft was reportedly carrying 242 people, including 230 passengers and 12 crew members. It was operated by Capt. Sumeet Sabharwal, a long-term captain with 8,200 flying hours, and First Officer Clive Kundar, who had logged 1,100 flying hours.

Of the 242 people onboard, including 230 passengers and 12 crew members, 169 are Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, 1 Canadian national and 7 are Portuguese nationals. Out of the passengers, 104 were males and 112 were females. Fourteen children including two infants were among the 230 passengers.

Former chief minister of Gujarat, Vijay Rupani's name also featured in the list of passengers onboard the flight.

According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the aircraft departed at 13:39 IST and issued a "MAYDAY" call before losing contact. The plane crashed just outside the airport perimeter after reaching an altitude of about 825 feet. (Agencies)

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