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Four residents of Rajasthan's Udaipur district were among the 242 people on board the Air India flight that crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad airport on Thursday, officials said.
According to Udaipur district administration authorities, Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma has spoken with the affected families and assured them of all necessary assistance. "As per initial information, there were four passengers from Udaipur district on board the Air India flight that crashed in Ahmedabad. The Chief Minister has spoken to their family members... The administration stands with them, and all necessary help will be extended. The families have been contacted," Udaipur District Magistrate Namit Mehta told reporters. The London-bound Air India flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, crashed in the Meghani Nagar area soon after departing from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. It was carrying 242 people, including 12 crew members. Western Railway has announced that it will operate additional trains from Ahmedabad following the tragic crash incident. Western Railway has also dispatched its Disaster Management Team, along with medical personnel and RPF staff, to assist the Gujarat government and other agencies involved in relief and rescue efforts. "In response to the tragic Ahmedabad plane crash, the Disaster Management Team of Western Railway is actively extending full support in relief and rescue operations at the site while maintaining close coordination with the State," the railway said in a statement. "Western Railway Medical Team and RPF (Railway Protection Force) personnel have also already been deployed for assisting in rescue operations. Additionally, Western Railway will operate extra trains from Ahmedabad based on demand. As of now, one train for Mumbai and one train for Delhi are being planned from Ahmedabad," it added. Meanwhile, the Gujarat government has mobilised three teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), comprising 90 personnel, from Gandhinagar to the crash site to aid rescue operations. According to senior police officials, the aircraft crashed into a doctor's hostel located just outside the airport perimeter. "After the takeoff, the plane crashed here and after a preliminary enquiry, we got to know that the ... plane crashed into a building, which is a doctors' hostel," Jaipal Singh Rathore, Joint Commissioner of Police, Ahmedabad, told reporters. The Ahmedabad City Police has released an emergency helpline number for assistance and information related to the crash. "Ahmedabad City Police Emergency Number for Police Emergency Services and necessary information related to the Ahmedabad Plane Crash 07925620359," Ahmedabad Police stated in a post on X. According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the London-bound Air India flight crashed in the Meghani Nagar area of Ahmedabad following the takeoff at 01:38 pm. (ANI)
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