All 242 people aboard Air India Flight AI171 are believed to have perished after the aircraft crashed into a residential neighborhood in Meghaninagar, near Ahmedabad in the western Indian state of Gujarat, shortly after takeoff on Thursday. The flight was en route to London.
According to Outlook India, eyewitnesses reported seeing at least 100 charred bodies recovered from the crash site. The tragedy also claimed the lives of at least five students when the aircraft collided with a medical school hostel. At least 50 people on the ground, including women and children, were injured and rushed to nearby hospitals. Local officials said some people were inside the hostel at the time of the crash, but the staff quarters were mostly empty due to lunchtime.
Among those believed to be on board was Vijay Rupani, former Chief Minister of Gujarat. The aircraft was carrying 169 Indian nationals, 53 UK citizens, seven Portuguese nationals, one Canadian, along with two pilots and ten flight attendants, according to the Civil Aviation Directorate General. The exact cause of the crash is still under investigation.
