- Air India changed its social media profile picture to a black circle following the crash.
- A Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner carrying 242 people crashed shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad.
- The flight was en route to London and included 169 Indians and 53 British nationals.
Air India changed its social media profile picture soon after its London bound flight crashed in Gujarat's Ahmedabad. Across its social media platforms -- X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram, Air India replaced its profile picture to a black circle, a change from the usual red and white logo and a golden window frame.
An Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner carrying 242 people crashed immediately after take-off from Ahmedabad airport. There were 230 passengers, 10 crew members and 2 pilots on the flight which was headed to London.
The flight departed from Ahmedabad at 13:38 pm from the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, carrying 242 passengers and crew members, including 169 Indians, 53 British nationals, a Canadian national and seven Portuguese nationals.
The failure to achieve lift happened at a very low altitude of 825 feet. The aircraft was clearly unable to climb, aviation expert Sanjay Lazar told NDTV.
The injured are being taken to the nearest hospitals.
"We have also set up a dedicated passenger hotline number 1800 5691 444 to provide more information. Air India is giving its full cooperation to the authorities investigating this incident," the flight operator said in a social media post.
According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the pilot, Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, issued a "Mayday" call to Air Traffic Control shortly before the plane lost contact. A Mayday call is an internationally recognised distress signal used primarily in aviation and maritime communication to indicate a life-threatening emergency.
Air India has set up a dedicated passenger hotline number 1800 5691 444 to provide more information.
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