New Delhi: Air India has confirmed that Flight AI171, en route from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, was involved in a devastating crash shortly after takeoff this afternoon. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, which took off at 1:38 PM IST, was carrying 242 people, including passengers and crew members.

In a formal statement, the airline revealed the nationalities of those onboard: 169 were Indian nationals, while 53 were from the UK, 7 from Portugal, and 1 from Canada. The aircraft encountered critical trouble mere moments after liftoff, prompting an emergency “Mayday” call before crashing from an altitude of approximately 825 feet.

Emergency services, including medical teams and the fire brigade, rushed to the crash site near Ahmedabad Airport, where rescue operations are ongoing. The injured are currently being transported to nearby hospitals for urgent care.

To support affected families, Air India has activated a dedicated passenger assistance hotline at 1800 5691 444. The airline emphasized that this line is intended solely for families and not for media inquiries.

“Air India is fully cooperating with the investigating authorities,” the airline said, as teams from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and airport security have begun probing the circumstances of the crash.

As the nation reels from the disaster, questions remain about what caused the aircraft’s fatal descent. Meanwhile, families await word on their loved ones, and the aviation community faces one of its darkest days in recent memory.