🕒 Complete Timeline: Air India Flight AI‑171 Crash in Ahmedabad

This post provides a comprehensive timeline of today’s tragic crash, including updates up to 5 PM IST, and insights on the investigation, VIP involvement, and global fallout.

13:38 IST – Takeoff

Flight AI‑171, a Boeing 787‑8 Dreamliner (VT‑ANB), carrying 242 people (230 passengers, including 169 Indian, 53 British, 7 Portuguese, 1 Canadian; 12 crew) departs Ahmedabad for London Gatwick 1.

~13:43 IST – Mayday & Radar Loss

Pilots issue a “MAYDAY” call around 625 ft altitude. Radar contact is lost soon after 2.

~13:44 IST – Crash in Meghani Nagar

The aircraft crashes into the residential compound of Meghani Nagar, exploding on impact with plumes of thick black smoke soaking the skies 3.

~13:46–14:00 IST – Emergency Response

• Seven fire engines, NDRF personnel (90+), ambulances, Army, and police flood the area 5.
• Wreckage hit a roof of BJ Medical College hostel; rescue teams begin operations there 6.
• Ahmedabad Police Commissioner states, “it appears there are no survivors” 7.

~14:00 IST – Airport Closure & Hotlines

• Ahmedabad Airport suspends operations; later reopens after safety checks 8.
• Air India and MoCA set up passenger hotlines (e.g., 1800‑5691‑444) 9.

~14:15 IST – Casualty Reports

• Rescue teams report ~30–35 bodies; later estimates exceed 100 fatalities 10.
• Health Minister confirms “multiple fatalities” and many injured in hospitals 11.

~14:30 IST – VIP Presence & Official Reaction

• Reports and boarding-pass images confirm **former CM Vijay Rupani** was aboard Flight AI‑171 12.
• Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu says agencies are on highest alert 13.
• PM Modi, HM Amit Shah & Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel arrive onsite; dispatch relief teams 14.

~15:00 IST – Rescue & Airport Resumes

• Over 100 bodies recovered; teams continue to search for victims trapped in debris 15.
• Limited flight operations resume after runway and safety reviews by ~17:05 IST 16.

~15:30 IST – Black Box Recovered & Investigation Begins

• DGCA, AAIB and Boeing teams recover the black boxes; analysis begins 17.
• Investigators note the heavy fuel load for the long-haul flight intensified post-crash fire 18.

~16:00 IST – Market & Diplomatic Fallout

• Boeing shares plunged ~7–8% in U.S. pre-market trading, along with GE Aerospace & Spirit AeroSystems 19.
• Countries including the UK, Canada, Portugal, Australia & Russia mobilize crisis cells to support nationals 20.

~16:30 IST – What to Expect Next

• Preliminary DGCA/AAIB report expected within 48 hours, focusing on data recorder findings.
• Official confirmation of Vijay Rupani’s condition and victim count from Air India and government sources.
• Potential policy responses: enhanced Dreamliner oversight, revised fuel handling protocols, VIP manifest transparency.

This comprehensive timeline is accurate as of 5:00 PM IST. We will update with official statements, investigation results, and casualty confirmations as they become available.