Passenger on previous Air India 171 flight noticed worrying details about plane
A passenger who was travelling on an earlier Air India flight, on the same plane that went on to crash in western India, has claimed that there were a number of problems with the aircraft.
Akash Vatsa said he had taken a flight from Delhi to Ahmedabad and was on the plane (a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner) two hours before it was set to fly from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick.
He said he 'noticed unusual things in the plane' and made a video to show Air India. He asked the airline to contact him for more information and also tagged Boeing India and some news outlets.
Vatsa said the air conditioning was not working and many customers were using the in-flight magazines to fan themselves. He turned the camera around to show himself sweating. He continued: 'As usual, your TV screens are also not working.'
The passenger said that 'nothing is working, not even the light is working' and asked Air India: 'Is this what you are providing?'
Information on Flight Radar shows that the flight arrived in Ahmedabad at 11.16am local time. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner then took off from Ahmedabad at 1.38pm local time (9.08am BST), heading to London Gatwick Airport.
However, just a few minutes after take-off, it crashed into a residential area. Aboard the plane were 242 people including 53 British nationals, 169 Indian nationals, seven Portuguese people, and one Canadian. Initial reports claimed there appeared to be no survivors, the city's police chief told AP, but it has since emerged that there was one survivor, Ahmedabad Police Commissioner GS Malik told news agency ANI.
Horrifying footage shows the plane hitting a dining hall for medical students and erupting into a ball of fire and black smoke. Narendra Modi, the Indian prime minister said: 'The tragedy in Ahmedabad has stunned and saddened us. It is heartbreaking beyond words. In this sad hour, my thoughts are with everyone affected by it. Have been in touch with Ministers and authorities who are working to assist those affected.'
Sir Keir Starmer, the British prime minister, also issued a statement, writing: 'The scenes emerging of a London-bound plane carrying many British nationals crashing in the Indian city of Ahmedabad are devastating.'
He added: 'I am being kept updated as the situation develops, and my thoughts are with the passengers and their families at this deeply distressing time.'
An Indian news outlet, Mathrubhumi News, reported that flight AI-171 was grounded in December 2024 due to a 'major technical snag'. The outlet said that this sparked criticism over 'maintenance lapses and flight safety procedures', but the plane was later cleared to continue operations, per the Express.
Following the news of the crash, Air India said that the injured were being taken to hospital and a dedicated passenger hotline number 1800 5691 444 had been set up to provide more information. Another number +91 8062779200 was set up for foreign nationals.
The airline said it was giving 'its full cooperation to the authorities investigating this incident'.
Campbell Wilson, Air India's CEO, shared a video statement on social media several hours after the crash. He said the airline wanted to express its 'deep sorrow' over the event, and that efforts would be focused 'entirely on the needs of our passengers, crew members, their families, and loved ones'.
Wilson said there were 'many questions' but that he would 'not be able to answer all of them'. He continued: 'We are actively working with the authorities on all emergency response efforts."
Air India told the Mirror in a statement: "We would like to inform you that Air India is closely coordinating with all relevant authorities, and any verified updates or official statements will be shared through our official communication channels."
It added: "We remain committed to transparency and will continue to share updates as appropriate."
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