Air India Ahmedabad place crash: Yusuf Pathan, Harbhajan Singh lead way as cricketers express condolences

Former India cricketers Yusuf Pathan and Harbhajan Singh were the first from the sporting fraternity to express condolences after an London-bound Air India passenger plane with 244 people onboard crashed Thursday in India’s northwestern city of Ahmedabad. 

Visuals on local television channels showed smoke billowing from the crash site near the airport in Ahmedabad. Faiz Ahmed Kidwai, the director general of the directorate of civil aviation, told AP that Air India flight AI 171, a Boeing 787-8, crashed into a residential area called Meghani Nagar five minutes after taking off at 1:38 pm local time.

There were 232 passengers and 12 crew members onboard the flight, which had been bound for London’s Gatwick Airport, Kidwai said.

“I am utterly shocked and deeply anguished to learn about the tragic Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad. My thoughts and prayers go out to all the victims and their families who are enduring unimaginable pain and loss. In moments like these, words feel so inadequate, but I hope that those affected find strength, courage, and support. My heart goes out to everyone impacted by this tragedy,” he posted on X.