Tragic air disaster in India has over 200 confirmed casualties, including a number of medics

Over 200 people are killed in the tragic crash of an Air India plane in the western Indian city of Ahmedabad. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, en route from Ahmedabad to London (flight AI171), crashed shortly after take-off into a residential area of Meghnagar near Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Airport.

There were 242 people on board the flight, including 230 passengers and 12 crew members. The passengers included 169 Indians, 53 Britons, seven Portuguese and one Canadian. According to the first official passenger lists, no Czech citizen was on board.

According to Reuters and local media, rescuers have recovered at least 100 bodies from the rubble, while others remain trapped under the rubble. The plane crashed into the building of medical college B. J. Medical College, leading to fears of further casualties among the civilian population, particularly medical students. India's CNN News-18 television reported that a significant number of medical students were among the victims.

Although initial reports by local police, cited by AP and AFP, said there were apparently no survivors, information later emerged about two possible survivors. Citing Indian media and police, Reuters reported that one survivor was found in seat 11A and the other was hospitalised. The BBC specifically mentioned a British survivor named Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, who is conscious and gave a brief statement. However, this information has not been fully confirmed.

The crash occurred shortly after 13:38 local time (10:08 CEST) when the aircraft sent out the distress signal "Mayday" but then lost contact with air traffic control and crashed within five minutes. Footage on social media shows the plane flying very low before it hit a building and exploded, with thick black smoke rising over the crash site. An eyewitness described to The Times of India a scene filled with debris and dead bodies, surrounded by thick smoke. Firefighters at the scene were battling the blaze intensely.

The cause of the accident is not yet clear. The available videos show that the aircraft flew to an altitude of approximately 200 metres, then began to lose speed and had its landing gear extended, indicating that the crew was trying to solve the problem. Some local media have speculated about a possible bird strike as the cause of the crash, but this hypothesis has not been confirmed.

Air India issued a statement on social network X confirming the incident and promising updates. Boeing said it was aware of the accident and was gathering further data. Shares of the aircraft maker fell 6.8 % before the opening bell after the news. Ahmedabad International Airport suspended all operations and called in emergency services.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for all support to be given to the victims and their families. The accident is being described as the worst air disaster in a decade. The investigation into the causes continues, with experts and authorities focusing on black box records and testimony from rescue workers and witnesses.

gnews.cz - GH