A London-bound Air India flight crashed shortly after takeoff from the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad on Thursday, in a tragic incident that caused part of the aircraft to strike a residential building in the city.
According to early reports, the aircraft—a Boeing 777—was carrying over 240 passengers and crew members when it developed technical complications moments after departure. At approximately 10:45 a.m. local time, a section of the aircraft—believed to be part of the engine housing or fuselage—broke off mid-air and plummeted onto the roof of a residential complex in the Naranpura locality of Ahmedabad.
Terrifying visuals from the crash site showed thick black smoke billowing into the sky, with flames visible from parts of the aircraft wreckage. The rooftop of the impacted building was significantly damaged, though initial reports suggest that residents of the structure had evacuated in time and there were no casualties on the ground.
Eyewitnesses recounted a loud explosion and intense heat moments after the plane took off. "We heard a loud bang, and moments later we saw debris fall from the sky and land on our neighbor’s roof. Everyone ran out in panic," said Ravi Patel, a resident of the area.
Firefighters and disaster response teams were quickly deployed and are currently engaged in rescue operations. Ambulances were seen ferrying the injured from both the crash site and the affected residential area. The number of casualties or injuries among passengers remains unconfirmed at this time, as emergency teams work through the wreckage.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah confirmed that he had spoken with Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, the state’s Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi, and the Ahmedabad Police Commissioner regarding the incident. Shah assured that the Central government would provide all necessary support to state authorities in managing the aftermath and investigating the cause of the crash.
“We are closely monitoring the situation and have instructed all relevant emergency and aviation agencies to prioritize rescue and relief operations. An investigation into the cause of the crash will be initiated immediately,” Shah said in a statement.
Air India has yet to issue a full statement, but sources within the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) confirmed that a high-level technical team has been dispatched to the site to assess the damage and collect data from the flight’s black box, which may be crucial in determining the cause of the incident.
This is one of the most serious air disasters in recent years in India and is likely to raise fresh questions about aircraft maintenance and air safety regulations. More updates are expected as authorities provide official briefings in the coming hours.
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