AI 171 crash: Air India remembers victims a year after Ahmedabad tragedy

Air India marked one year of the tragic AI 171 crash in Ahmedabad, where 260 people, including former Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani, died. The flight to London crashed 32 seconds after takeoff. Officials recalled the massive coordinated rescue efforts.

Air India team on Friday observed a two-minute silence at the Air India Training Academy in remembrance of AI 171, marking one year since the tragic plane crash. The ill-fated Air India Flight 171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner en route from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, met with a catastrophic accident a mere 32 seconds into its flight. The aircraft plunged into the surrounding area almost immediately following its departure from the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport.

Tributes and Rescue Efforts Recalled

Meanwhile, during the press conference marking one year of the Air India Flight AI 171 plane crash, Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation Commissioner Banchhanidhi Pani paid tribute to the victims and recalled the coordinated rescue and relief efforts undertaken immediately after the incident.

"It has been one year since the tragic plane crash. We pray for peace for the souls of those who are no longer with us. On that day, Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation's fire, health, and engineering departments and senior officers, along with state and central government officials, immediately coordinated," Pani said.

"More than 90 ambulances, 60 fire units and heavy machinery were deployed. Walls were broken to evacuate bodies and rescue medical students from the hostel nearby," Pani added.

Ongoing Investigation and Family Assistance

He added that the investigation into the crash continued under the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), with full support from the municipal corporation.

"Families of victims were assisted quickly with death certificates and DNA sampling. All this was done in a coordinated effort by the Government of India, the state government and the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation," he said.

The Human Cost of the Disaster

The catastrophic incident claimed a total of 260 lives in one of the region's most severe aviation disasters. The fatalities included 229 passengers and 12 crew members on board, alongside 19 individuals who tragically lost their lives on the ground when the aircraft went down. Former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani was among the prominent victims who lost their lives in the crash.

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