More than 200 people were killed Thursday when an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed shortly after takeoff from the Indian city of Ahmedabad (AMD). With rescue efforts still underway as of publication, that toll could continue to climb.
It's the first major crash involving a 787 since the plane entered service in 2011 – and the first fatal accident involving any widebody aircraft in years. The Boeing 787-8 involved in the crash was delivered to Air India 11 years ago.
Flight AI171 from Ahmedabad bound for London-Gatwick (LGW) took off just before 1:40 p.m. local time with 242 passengers and crew reportedly onboard. Shortly after takeoff, the pilots onboard issued a “mayday” call.
Video footage from the scene of the plane's last moments before impact cruising above rooftops in a residential area of Ahmedabad, descending rather than gaining altitude. Publicly available flight tracking data shows the plane barely climbed above 600 feet before crashing.
The jet crashed into a local medical facility, according to Reuters, adding to the death toll.
The Indian government's Central Industrial Security Force said it had dispatched emergency personnel to the site of the crash while investigators from both the U.S. and U.K. said they would help
On social media, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the crash “heartbreaking beyond words.”
Air India is in the midst of reinventing itself as a global carrier, refreshing its fleet with retrofitted planes, new interiors, upgraded service, and more.
This is a developing news story, check back for details.
