A massive tragedy hit Ahmedabad when an Air India plane, Flight AI171, crashed near Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, carrying 242 passengers and crew, was headed to London’s Gatwick Airport when it went down just minutes after takeoff around 1:38 p.m. The crash happened in the Meghaninagar area, close to the airport, and sent shockwaves through the city. Thick black smoke poured into the sky, visible from miles away in places like Dharpur and Vastrapur, freaking out residents nearby.
Details are still coming in, but early reports say the plane might’ve hit something, maybe a wall, during takeoff, causing it to crash in a residential area near Ghoda Camp. Social media’s blowing up with videos showing dark smoke rising from the crash site, and people are sharing their panic online. One X post called it a “heartbreaking scene,” with locals watching in horror as emergency teams rushed in. The Ahmedabad airport’s been shut down, and all roads to the area are blocked off to keep crowds away and let rescue crews do their job.
Fire trucks—seven of them, according to some reports—and a dozen ambulances zoomed to the scene to put out the blaze and help anyone trapped. The police, led by Commissioner GS Malik, are still figuring out what kind of plane it was at first, but Air India confirmed it’s their flight. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) sent a team from Delhi to investigate what went wrong. Right now, no one’s sure about casualties, but some reports are saying several people might’ve been hurt or worse. It’s a tense wait for official updates.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah jumped into action, talking to Gujarat’s Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, the state’s Home Minister, and the Police Commissioner. He promised full support from the central government to help with rescue and recovery. Air India posted on X, saying they’re still gathering details and will share more on their website and social media soon. There’s also buzz that former Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani might’ve been on board, but that’s not confirmed yet, adding to the anxiety.
This isn’t the first plane crash in Gujarat recently. Back in April, a trainee pilot died when a small training plane crashed in Amreli, and a Jaguar fighter jet went down in Jamnagar, killing one pilot.
The crash site’s a mess, with smoke still lingering hours later. Emergency crews are working hard, but the residential area makes things tricky—there’s worry about damage to homes or people on the ground. Police have diverted traffic to keep things clear, and locals are being told to stay away. For now, everyone’s holding their breath, hoping for good news about survivors. Air India and the government are expected to drop more info soon, but the mood in Ahmedabad is heavy as the city grapples with this awful event.
