Guwahati: Former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani was on board the Air India flight which crashed near the Ahmedabad airport on Thursday afternoon. He is severely injured in the crash, his office said.
According to sources, the ill-fated flight was carrying 242 passengers and crew, including former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, who was reportedly seated in the second row.
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The aircraft was observed rapidly losing altitude before crashing in the Meghaninagar area near the airport around 2:00 PM. Thick plumes of smoke were seen billowing for miles from the crash site.
Following the crash, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel has swiftly ordered immediate rescue and relief operations, citing the critical need for prompt medical treatment for injured passengers.
Sources indicate the Chief Minister has instructed officials to arrange a green corridor for transporting the injured to hospitals and to prioritize all necessary treatment arrangements.
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Union Home Minister Amit Shah has also spoken with Gujarat’s Chief Minister, Home Minister, and Police Commissioner, assuring central government assistance in the ongoing efforts.
Air India has confirmed the incident involving Flight AI171, operating the Ahmedabad-London Gatwick route. An Air India spokesperson stated, “At this moment, we are ascertaining the details and will share further updates as soon as possible on airindia.com and our X handle.”
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has identified the aircraft as Air India B787 Aircraft VT-ANB, confirming it crashed immediately after takeoff from Ahmedabad.
Emergency responders are currently on-site, engaged in intensive rescue, evacuation, and firefighting operations.
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