Air India Flight AI171 Crash: Multiple Fatalities and Uncertainty

Relatives of passengers and crew members on board the doomed Air India Flight AI171 are anxiously awaiting news of their loved ones as the investigation into the cause of the crash continues. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, carrying 242 passengers and crew, crashed into a student dining room in Ahmedabad, India, just minutes after taking off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. As multiple countries, including the UK, send condolences and support to the affected families, authorities scramble to establish the facts of the tragedy.

Key Takeaways:

• The Air India Flight AI171 was carrying 242 passengers and crew members, including 11 children, when it crashed into a student dining room in Ahmedabad, India.
• The plane was headed to London Gatwick Airport and was due to land at 18:25 BST on June 12.
• Air India has set up a dedicated passenger hotline number (1800 5691 444) to provide information to families in India.
• The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has updated its guidance for Brits traveling to India in light of the tragedy.
• British nationals who require consular assistance or have concerns about friends or family should call 020 7008 5000.
• Air India has confirmed that 169 of those onboard were Indian nationals, while 53 were British nationals, with one Canadian national and seven Portuguese nationals also on board.
• The Ahmedabad city police commissioner has stated that there are likely to be no survivors from the plane, with estimates suggesting over 100 bodies have been taken to hospitals in the area.
• Relatives of passengers and crew members are waiting anxiously for news of their loved ones, with a reception centre set up at London Gatwick Airport for those requiring support.

Statistics:

• 242: Number of passengers and crew on board Air India Flight AI171
• 12: Date of June when the crash occurred
• 18:25 BST: Scheduled arrival time of Air India Flight AI171 at London Gatwick Airport
• 169: Number of Indian nationals on board the flight
• 53: Number of British nationals on board the flight
• 1: Number of Canadian nationals on board the flight
• 7: Number of Portuguese nationals on board the flight
• 100+: Number of bodies taken to hospitals in the area

Sources:

• "Air India Flight AI171 Crash: Relatives Wait Anxiously for News of Loved Ones" by Julia Banim
• The Mirror
• The Associated Press
• AFP via Getty Images
• Air India
• Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO)