Images circulating on social networks showed wreckage on flames and a dense black smoke climbing the skies near the airport
Gustavo Freitas, Lorena Barros and Gio Mendes
SAO PAULO, SP (UOL/FOLHAPRESS) – A plane with more than 242 people on board crashed near Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in the city of Ahmedabad, western India, local police said.
Air India’s Boeing 787-8 was on its way to Gatwick airport in London. There were 242 passengers and crew on board, according to the airline. There is still no information on the number of dead and injured.
The aircraft was with 169 Indians, 53 British, 1 Canadian and 7 Portuguese, clarified Air India. In addition to them, ten crew and two pilots were on the plane. After the announcement about the deaths, the airline updated her photo to a black image on the networks.
The accident happened during the plane’s takeoff. Images circulating on social networks showed fiery wreckage and a dense black smoke rising to the skies near the airport.
Ambulances were sent to help from victims and streets near the airport were blocked. The aircraft fell on a hostel, according to the BBC, but there is no information on if people on the ground has been injured.
Request for help was made before the accident. According to the BBC, a “Mayday” call, which acts as an emergency code, was issued to the airport control tower shortly after takeoff, but no other communication was made by the aircraft after that.
The FlightTar24 monitoring platform lost the aircraft signal when it reached 625 feet (about 190 meters high). The plane spent less than a minute flying after takeoff, according to the platform’s record.
Boeing said he became aware of the accident. In its first official message after the crash of the plane, the company said it is “collecting information” on the matter.
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and King Charles were informed about the accident. Keir Strmer said the scenes of the plane crash are “devastating” and follows the information about the accident. Buckingham Palace said the monarch is being updated on the case.
