Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport is currently non-operational, with all flight operations suspended until further notice, a spokesperson confirmed today.
The suspension follows a tragic incident involving Air India Flight AI171, which was travelling from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick. The aircraft, carrying 242 people on board, crashed shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad in western India.
According to Air India, the flight included 169 Indian nationals, 53 Britons, one Canadian national, and seven Portuguese nationals.
Air India’s London-bound flight crashes near Ahmedabad Airport, with 242 on board
Flight tracking website Flightradar24 reported that the last signal from the aircraft was received at an altitude of 625 feet (190 metres), “just seconds after take off.”
Eyewitness videos from the area show black smoke rising over a nearby residential neighbourhood, adding to concerns over the severity of the crash.
Authorities have yet to release further details regarding the cause of the accident or the condition of those on board. Emergency response teams are currently at the scene.
Source: BBC