Horror Unfolds as Air India Flight with 242 Onboard Crashes in Gujarat: Eyewitness Recounts Chaos
Tragedy struck India today as an Air India flight carrying 242 people, including passengers and crew, crashed just five minutes after takeoff from Ahmedabad Airport. The aircraft went down near Meghaninagar in Gujarat, leaving behind a horrifying scene of devastation.
Speaking to PTI, a local eyewitness recounted the terrifying moment the crash occurred.
“I was at home when I heard a loud, unprecedented noise,” he said. “We rushed outside and saw thick smoke filling the air. When we reached the crash site, there were bodies and pieces of the plane scattered everywhere.”
Video footage shared from the scene shows the man standing amidst wreckage and dust, surrounded by smoke and chaos.
According to initial reports, the flight, Air India AI171, took off at 1:39 p.m. local time, bound for Gatwick Airport in London. Just minutes into the flight, the plane issued a Mayday emergency signal to air traffic control before tragically crashing.
Among the 242 people on board were 169 Indian nationals, 53 British citizens, one Canadian, and seven Portuguese nationals. As of now, authorities have not confirmed the number of casualties.
Emergency response teams have been deployed to the site, and investigations are underway to determine the cause of the crash. The nation awaits further updates as families and communities brace for heartbreaking news.
