Key Points

Tata Group, which owns Air India, said it will provide Rs 1 crore to the families of each person who has lost their life in this tragedy.

"We are deeply anguished by the tragic event involving Air India Flight 171. No words can adequately express the grief we feel at this moment. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families who have lost their loved ones, and with those who have been injured," N Chandrasekaran, Chairman, Tata Sons, said in a post on X.

"Tata Group will provide ₹1 crore to the families of each person who has lost their life in this tragedy. We will also cover the medical expenses of those injured and ensure that they receive all necessary care and support. Additionally, we will provide support in the building up of the B J Medical's hostel," he said.

"We remain steadfast in standing with the affected families and communities during this unimaginable time," he added.

The Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, operating as flight AI 171, was en route to London from Ahmedabad when it crashed shortly after takeoff, with 242 people on board -- including 230 passengers and 12 crew members.

The aircraft came down in a densely populated locality near the airport.

Air India CEO Campbell Wilson expressed "deep sorrow" over the incident. "This is a difficult day for all of us at Air India, and our efforts now are focused entirely on the needs of our passengers, crew members, their families and loved ones," he said.

Wilson refrained from speculating on the cause of the crash but said that investigations are underway. "I know that there are many questions and at this stage I will not be able to answer all of them," he said.

He said the flight carried 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese nationals and one Canadian national.

"Of the passengers, 169 are Indian nationals, 53 are British nationals, there are seven Portuguese nationals, and one Canadian national. The injured passengers have been taken by local authorities to the nearest hospitals. We are actively working with the authorities on all emergency response efforts," said the Air India CEO.

"A special team of caregivers from Air India is on their way to Ahmedabad to provide additional support. The investigations will take time, but anything we can do now, we are doing," he added.

Aircraft manufacturer Boeing Airplanes also issued a brief statement on X, saying, "We are in contact with Air India regarding Flight 171 and stand ready to support them. Our thoughts are with the passengers, crew, first responders and all affected."

The Air India plane was under the command of Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, an LTC with 8,200 hours of flying experience. He was assisted by First Officer Clive Kundar, who had 1,100 hours of flying experience, an official said.

According to Air Traffic Control (ATC), the aircraft departed from Runway 23 at 1339 IST (0809 UTC). It gave a mayday call to ATC, but thereafter, no response was given by the aircraft to the calls made by ATC.

"Aircraft immediately after departure from Runway 23, fell on the ground outside the airport perimeter. Heavy black smoke was seen coming from the accident site," an official said.

- ANI