On Thursday afternoon, a tragic accident unfolded in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, when Air India flight AI 171 crashed shortly after take-off. It was departing for London. Aboard the plane were 242 individuals, comprised of 230 passengers and 12 crew members. The accident took place just moments after taking off from Runway 23 at the airport. The plane collided with a medical college building located a short distance from the airport perimeter and crashed.
The severity of the accident could be gauged by the thick plume of black smoke rising skyward from the crash site, visible throughout the area. The scene was filled with the cries of people, grieving relatives, and a sense of chaos all around. Rescue teams quickly reached the spot, and efforts to transport the injured to hospitals are underway.
'Where my son was, the plane fell...'
Meanwhile, a statement has surfaced from a woman named Ramila, whose son was residing in the hostel where the plane crash occurred. With a trembling voice, she shared, 'My son had gone to the hostel for a lunch break, and that's where the plane crashed. I thought everything was over. But thank God, my son survived.'
Ramila recounted that during the crash, her son jumped from the second floor to save his life, resulting in some injuries. She mentioned, "I spoke to him, and he said, 'Mom, I'm fine, just a few injuries.'"
Rescue operations underway, casualty count unclear
Upon receiving information about the plane crash, CISF and NDRF teams reached the scene swiftly. Rescue operations are proceeding rapidly. The senior officials of the Ministry of Civil Aviation convened an emergency meeting, with the presence of DGCA and ministry secretaries. An official stated, “Our priority now is to rescue the injured passengers and provide them with immediate medical assistance. It is too early to comment on the casualties.”
Vijay Rupani's name spotted in passenger list
In the list that emerged post-accident, the name of former Chief Minister Vijay Rupani was observed, causing a stir in political and administrative circles. However, there hasn't been any official statement regarding his status. The government and Air India have issued helpline numbers for the relatives of passengers to obtain information about their loved ones.
