Ahmedabad: Over 50 British nationals were among the 242 passengers on the Air India flight that crashed moments after taking off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in the city. Additionally, there were 7 Portuguese nationals and 1 Canadian national, along with 169 Indians on board the flight.

“Air India confirms that flight AI171, from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, was involved in an accident today after take-off. The flight, which departed from Ahmedabad at 1338 hrs, was carrying 242 passengers and crew members on board the Boeing 787-8 aircraft. Of these, 169 are Indian nationals, 53 are British nationals, 1 Canadian national and 7 Portuguese nationals. 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 airline said in an official tweet.

Meanwhile, operations at SVPI Airport have been suspended following the crash until further notice. Some reports suggest that operations may resume after 5 PM. DeshGujarat