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Shock and panic is spreading in India following reports of the crash of an Air Indian plane heading to the Gatwick in the United Kingdom.
There were 256 on board.
India’s Aviation Minister
Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu says he is “shocked and devastated” at the crash in Ahmedabad.
In a statement posted on X, Air India’s chairman, Natarajan Chandrasekaran, says “with profound sorrow I confirm that Air India Flight 171 operating Ahmedabad London Gatwick was involved in a tragic accident today”.
“Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with the families and loved ones of all those affected by this devastating event,” he says.
“At this moment, our primary focus is on supporting all the affected people and their families.
“We are doing everything in our power to assist the emergency response teams at the site and to provide all necessary support and care to those impacted.
“Further updates will be shared as we receive more verified information. An emergency centre has been activated and support team have been set up for families seeking information.”
The aircraft that crashed is a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner with registration VT-ANB, according to FlightRadar.
The plane has a total of 256 seats onboard – it’s not known exactly how many of those were occupied.
It was scheduled to land at 18:25 at Gatwick.
The plane’s history shows it regularly flies between India and destinations including Paris, Frankfurt, Tokyo, Amsterdam, and Melbourne.
