Tragedy Strikes: Air India Crash Devastates Ahmedabad

A catastrophic incident occurred when a London-bound Air India flight crashed shortly after departing from Ahmedabad airport on Thursday, plunging into a densely populated residential area. The ill-fated Boeing 787 Dreamliner, carrying 242 passengers and crew members, issued a distress call moments before the crash, resulting in considerable casualties and widespread destruction.

Eyewitness accounts depict a harrowing scene, with the aircraft rapidly losing altitude and crashing into flames, sending dense black smoke billowing into the sky. Among the passengers was former Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani, adding to the gravity of the tragedy. The aircraft impacted the residential quarters of medical staff near the city's civil hospital, further amplifying the devastation.

In the immediate aftermath, rescue operations began extracting the injured and deceased from the wreckage, with at least one multi-storey building and several vehicles reported ablaze. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep sorrow, ensuring swift deployment of emergency aid and coordination with local authorities. The crash marks Gujarat's second significant air disaster, recalling a similar tragedy in 1988. Investigations are underway as officials strive to ascertain the full extent of the damage.

(With inputs from agencies.)