Ahmedabad plane crash: Air India pilots had 9,300 hours of flying experience

Air India flight AI-171, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, crashed into a residential area in Meghani Nagar shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad en route to London Gatwick. The aircraft had 242 people on board. DGCA confirms investigation is underway

Ahmedabad: The Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner, operating as flight AI-171 from Ahmedabad to Gatwick in London, crashed into a residential area in Meghani Nagar just five minutes after takeoff. The tragic incident occurred at approximately 1:43 PM, shortly after the aircraft departed from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at 1:38 PM.

The flight was under the command of Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, with First Officer Clive Kundar serving as co-pilot. Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, a Line Training Captain (LTC) had 8,200 hours of flying experience and Clive Kundar had logged 1,100 flying hours.

The aircraft, registered as VT-ANB, was carrying 242 individuals, including 2 pilots and 10 cabin crew members.  According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the crash took place almost immediately after takeoff. The Boeing 787 reportedly went down in the densely populated Meghani Nagar locality, raising fears of casualties on the ground in addition to those on board.

In a statement, the DGCA confirmed that teams from the Directorate of Airworthiness (DAW), along with Assistant Directors of Airworthiness (ADAW) and a Flight Operations Inspector (FOI), who were already present in Ahmedabad on an unrelated assignment, have begun gathering preliminary details regarding the crash.

Further details, including the cause of the crash and the number of casualties, are yet to be released. The DGCA has assured that a detailed investigation is underway.