Doomed flight AI171 crashed just seconds after takeoff, with Mirror suggesting the plane crashed into a medical students' canteen
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The Air India plane, which crashed just seconds after takeoff bound for the UK, crashed right into a student canteen, The Mirror reports.
Air India Flight 171 lost signal less than a minute after taking off from Ahmedabad airport in western India. Footage from witnesses showed the plane crashing in the densely populated Menghani area of Ahmedabad, directly beneath its flight path.
According to the Mirror, the crashed plane crashed into the canteen of medical students who were having lunch.
The crash site is located in the students' canteen of BJ Medical College, just 2 km from the end of the runway of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad.
The official casualty figures are yet to be confirmed, but it is known that many students were injured and were taken to the nearby Ahmedabad Civil Hospital for treatment.
Initial images from the scene show twisted metal and charred rock among the debris.
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The flight was due to land in the UK at 18:25 today, bound for London Gatwick. The airport said on Twitter: “We can confirm that flight AI171, which crashed on takeoff from Ahmedabad Airport today, was due to land at London Gatwick at 18:25.”
Meanwhile, Natarajan Chandrasekaran, chairman of Air India, confirmed that an emergency helpline had been set up for families seeking information about their loved ones who were on board the flight.
“It is with deep sadness that I announce that Air India Flight 171, flying from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, was tragically involved in a fatal crash today,” he said in a statement.
“Our thoughts and sincere condolences are with the families and loved ones of all those affected by this devastating incident. Our primary focus at this time is supporting all those affected and their families.
“We are doing everything we can to assist emergency response teams at the scene and provide the necessary support and care to those affected. Further updates will be provided as more reliable information becomes available.
“We are doing everything we can to assist emergency response teams at the scene and provide the necessary support and care to those affected. Further updates will be provided as more reliable information becomes available.
“An emergency helpline has been activated and a support group has been set up for families seeking information. – N Chandrasekaran, Chairman, Air India.”
Several theories have been put forward as to why the plane suddenly crashed after takeoff, especially given that the Dreamliner has no history of accidents.
Professor Graham Braithwaite, FRAeS, director of the department of aerospace and aviation engineering at Cranfield University, told the Mirror: “The aircraft that crashed was an 11-year-old Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner. This is the first major crash involving a 787. We do not currently know if there are any survivors or casualties on the ground.”
He noted that the main focus would be on search and rescue operations at the site before a full investigation into the cause and circumstances of the plane crash begins.
“The airline will be focusing on looking after family and friends at both the departure and destination airports. Until the manifesto is finalised, they will have to cope with a large number of enquiries from concerned friends and family,” says Professor Braithwaite.
“The initial information about an incident is unlikely to be accurate, so even if people use tools like FlightRadar 24, it won't give us an answer to the question 'why this happened'. We have to be careful not to make assumptions about causes when reliable information is so limited.”
He added: “Although takeoff is a critical phase of flight, aircraft accidents are extremely rare, especially with modern aircraft types such as the Boeing 787. Takeoff is really critical as the aircraft is still accelerating and any problem requires a quick response.”
The aviation expert also said that the independent Air Accident Investigation Bureau of India will be responsible for analysing the circumstances before and during the crash.
“The bureau is an independent organisation from the aviation regulator and focuses on 'no fault' safety investigations. It is governed by an international standard known as Annex
Sourse: www.mirror.co.uk
