Air India Plane Crash: Former Chief Minister of Gujarat, Vijay Rupani, is feared to be among the passengers aboard Air India flight AI 171, which crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad airport on Thursday. While official confirmation is still awaited, unconfirmed reports indicate that Rupani was listed as passenger number 12 on the ill-fated flight.
ALSO READ| Air India flight to London with 242 passengers crashes near Ahmedabad airport
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner, operating the Ahmedabad to London Gatwick route, took off at 1:38 PM IST and crashed within five minutes into a residential area in Meghani Nagar, causing massive damage and panic in the vicinity. Eyewitnesses reported thick plumes of smoke rising from the site. Emergency teams were immediately deployed.
Flight Details
- Flight Number: AI 171
- Aircraft: Boeing 787 Dreamliner
- Onboard: 242 people (230 adult passengers, 2 infants, and 12 crew members)
- Captain: Capt. Sumeet Sabharwal
- First Officer: Clive Kunder
Officials from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), including DAW, ADAW, and one Flight Operations Inspector (FOI), were already in Ahmedabad on other assignments and have commenced preliminary inquiries.
Airport Operations Suspended
Following the crash, Ahmedabad airport operations have been suspended until further notice. Fire Officer Jayesh Khadia confirmed that the aircraft caught fire on impact, and fire tenders were rushed to the site to contain the blaze.
Who is Vijay Rupani?
Vijay Rupani, born August 2, 1956, in Rangoon (now Yangon), Myanmar, is a senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader. He served as the 16th Chief Minister of Gujarat from August 2016 to September 2021. Over his political career, he has held several key posts including:
- Mayor of Rajkot (1996–1997)
- Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha (2006–2012)
- Gujarat State Cabinet Minister
- BJP Gujarat State President
He represented Rajkot West in the Gujarat Legislative Assembly and has been influential in state and party politics for decades.
More updates are expected as the situation unfolds and authorities confirm passenger identities.
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