Air India aircraft appears to have crashed after colliding with multiple birds: Ex-pilots

A former Indian pilot said that the tragedy, which struck on Thursday afternoon when an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed into a residential area shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad, appears to have been the result of the aircraft’s collision with birds.

Flight AI171, en route to London Gatwick, took off at around 1:30 pm local time before crashing minutes later. The aircraft was carrying 230 passengers, 10 crew members, and 2 pilots. 

Among the victims were 169 Indian nationals, 53 Britons, one Canadian, and seven Portuguese citizens, including 11 children.

Initial findings suggest the cause of the crash may have been a bird strike that led to a critical engine failure.

Former senior pilot Captain Saurabh Bhatnagar told Indian media that “it appears the aircraft failed to achieve the necessary speed for takeoff due to a bird strike, possibly involving multiple birds, which may have caused both engines to lose power.”

Read: Air India flight crashes in Ahmedabad, with 169 Indian, 61 foreign nationals on board

He added, “While the takeoff appeared normal, the full cause of the accident will only be determined after a thorough investigation.”

The crash triggered a massive response from emergency services, with search, rescue, and recovery operations underway in the impacted residential area. Plumes of smoke were seen rising from the crash site shortly after the incident, with visuals widely shared across social media platforms.

Air India and aviation authorities promised a full investigation into the incident. Boeing has also issued a statement saying it was aware of the reports and gathering more information.