Ahmedabad: Former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani was reportedly among the passengers on board the Air India flight that crashed near Ahmedabad airport on Thursday. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, bound for London, went down just five minutes after takeoff in the afternoon.

According to a passenger manifest accessed by media, “Vijay Ramniklal Rupani” was listed as the 12th passenger and was traveling in Business Class under the Z fare category.

The flight, Air India AI171, was carrying 242 individuals—230 passengers and 12 crew members. Among them was Rupani, who led Gujarat as Chief Minister from August 2016 to September 2021, stepping down ahead of the 2022 state assembly polls.

Following the crash, emergency response teams—including seven fire engines—were dispatched to the site.

Footage from areas surrounding the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport captured heavy black smoke rising in the aftermath. Flight AI171 typically departs at 1:10 PM from Ahmedabad to London’s Gatwick Airport, as per online trackers. DeshGujarat