Indian authorities say Boeing crash likely killed all 242 passengers
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More news: Indian authorities have said that all 242 people on board the Air India flight were likely killed when the jet crashed shortly after take-off in Ahmedabad, India.
Ahmedabad Police Commissioner G.S. Malik said survival of any passenger from the plane appeared remote. “I don’t think anyone might have survived, the way the plane has crashed.” He added that there were also many people injured at the crash site.
Indian Prime Minister said via X: “It is heartbreaking beyond words. In this sad hour, my thoughts are with everyone affected by it.”
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the situation was “devastating.” He added: “my thoughts are with the passengers and their families at this deeply distressing time.”
Of the flight’s passengers, 169 were Indian nationals, 53 were British, seven were Portuguese and one Canadian.
Boeing shares fall after London-bound plane crashes in India
The news: Shares in Boeing slid in premarket US trading on Thursday after a Boeing-made Air India jet with over 200 passengers on board crashed in Ahmedabad, India.
The numbers: Shares in Boeing fell as much as 7.8% to USD197.3 ($303.54) in premarket trading.
The context: The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner was bound for London’s Gatwick airport in the UK when it crashed shortly after take-off.
An X post by Air India says that the flight was carrying 242 passengers and crew members on board the Boeing 787-8 aircraft. Of these, 169 are Indian nationals, 53 are British nationals, 1 Canadian national and 7 Portuguese nationals.
It was not immediately clear what caused the crash, but footage on social media shows Flight AI171 with its landing gear still down and slowly descending after take-off, before exploding into a fireball upon impact with a residential area.
The incident is thought to be the first crash involving the Boeing Dreamliner, which first flew in 2009.
Boeing has faced a series of quality and safety shortcomings in recent years, after fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019 were followed by an incident in January 2024 where a door panel flew off during a flight. The incidents prompted airlines to ground 737 Max 9 jets across the globe.
Air India is currently undergoing a major strategic overhaul, which saw the airline order 470 new aircraft from Boeing and Airbus in 2023.
