Terrifying first footage emerges from Air India crash in Ahmedabad

NEW DELHI: The first chilling video of the Air India Dreamliner crash near Ahmedabad airport has surfaced, capturing the final moments before the London-bound aircraft went down.

The footage shows the jet gliding low in the sky without its landing gear deployed, moments before it crashes — triggering a massive explosion and a towering column of black smoke in a residential area close to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport.Eyewitnesses recorded the aircraft losing altitude unnaturally before slamming into what appears to be the Meghani neighbourhood. A giant fireball erupted on impact, followed by thick plumes of smoke billowing skyward.

The Air India flight AI171 — a Boeing 787 Dreamliner — crashed shortly after takeoff on Thursday afternoon, minutes after it left for London’s Gatwick airport. There were 242 people on board, including 230 passengers, two pilots, and 10 cabin crew members.Officials said the aircraft was heavily fueled for the long-haul journey, which likely contributed to the intensity of the post-crash blaze. Emergency services were rushed to the site, including fire tenders, ambulances, and disaster response units.

Union home minister Amit Shah has spoken to Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel, who directed officials to carry out immediate rescue operations and set up a green corridor to transport survivors to hospitals. In a post on X, Patel expressed deep grief and said that all efforts were underway to treat the injured on a “war footing”.Air India, in its initial statement, confirmed the incident and said details were being ascertained.

Chairman N Chandrasekaran issued a note expressing “profound sorrow”, and assured full support to the affected families.The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) said three teams from Gandhinagar had reached the site, while three more were being sent from Vadodara. Meanwhile, operations at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport remain suspended, with the airport advising passengers to check with airlines before arriving.DGCA officials are expected to launch a formal probe into the crash, alongside technical experts from Boeing. As of now, there is no official word on casualties, but officials indicated that the scale of the crash and fire may have resulted in multiple fatalities.