At least 200 People Perish in Deadly Air India Plane Crash
At least 200 people aboard an Air India plane have been confirmed dead after the plane crashed shortly after takeoff in Ahmedabad on Thursday.
The London-bound aircraft went down just minutes after departing from the airport.
Of the 242 passengers, 169 were Indian nationals, 53 British, 1 Canadian and 7 Portuguese.
Also Read: WATCH: Air India Plane Carrying 242 People Crashes Minutes After Takeoff in Ahmedabad
Flight AI171 reportedly plunged into the hostel wing of B.J. Medical College (BJMC), a prominent institution in the city.
Several people on the ground, including students and staff at the college, were reportedly injured or killed in the impact.
204 Bodies Recovered, Uncertainty Remains Over Final Death Toll
The local police chief in Ahmedabad has confirmed that 204 bodies have been recovered from the crash site so far.
However, it remains unclear how many of the victims were passengers aboard the plane and how many were on the ground when the plane went down.
Rescue operations are still underway, with teams continuing to search through the rubble. More people are feared to be trapped beneath the debris.
Several medical students living in the hostel of B.J. Medical College were among the casualties. According to the Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA), between 50 and 60 medical students were rushed to the hospital following the crash.
The association also confirmed that five students are still missing, and at least two are in intensive care. Relatives of some doctors are also unaccounted for.
DGCA Confirms MAYDAY Call Before Crash, Cause Still Unknown
The Air India flight reportedly issued a MAYDAY distress call before crashing, according to an official statement from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
“As per ATC, the aircraft departed from Ahmedabad at 1339 IST (0809 UTC) from Runway 23. It gave a MAYDAY call to ATC, but thereafter no response was given by the aircraft to the calls made by ATC.
While the exact cause of the crash remains under investigation, it has been confirmed that the aircraft was carrying a substantial fuel load for the long-haul journey to London.
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The post At Least 200 Killed in Deadly Air India Plane Crash appeared first on iHarare News.
