After a devastating crash minutes post-takeoff, aviation analysts have been diligently reviewing the incident footage.
The catastrophic crash of an Air India aircraft, which was en route to London’s Gatwick Airport, has left aviation experts puzzled.
Shortly after losing communication, the plane caught fire and crashed into a densely populated area in Ahmedabad, located in the western part of India, just five minutes after it took off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport.
While it is too early to pinpoint the exact reasons behind the crash of the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner right after takeoff, specialists point out that such incidents during this phase are exceedingly uncommon.
Professor John McDermid, who holds the Lloyd’s Register Chair of Safety at the University of York, noted, “Take-off and landing are typically the most perilous phases of flight – it’s rare for accidents to happen during cruise. However, it is indeed unusual for such an incident to occur before the aircraft even reached an altitude of 200 meters,” according to the Mirror.
“Pilots have the capability to abort takeoff quite late in the process, so it appears the issue emerged abruptly towards the end of the takeoff roll or just after liftoff, and it was too severe to manage,” he added.
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Professor Paul Williams, a Professor of Atmospheric Science at the University of Reading, mentioned, “Weather conditions were seemingly ideal at the time of takeoff. It was a clear, sunny day in Ahmedabad, with temperatures around 40°C, good visibility, and mild western winds. No adverse weather seems to have influenced the crash.”
Professor Graham Braithwaite, Director of Aerospace and Aviation at Cranfield University, stated, “This is the first significant accident involving the 787. Since the aircraft is accelerating during takeoff, any issues that arise demand quick action.”
Shortly after takeoff, the aircraft issued a distress signal, indicating an emergency situation, before all communications stopped.
Air India later confirmed, “The flight, which left Ahmedabad at 1338 hrs, was boarded by 242 passengers and crew members on the Boeing 787-8 aircraft, including 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, one Canadian national, and seven Portuguese nationals.”
Authorities had initially stated that they expected no survivors from the incident.
In an unexpected turn of events, British national Viswash Kumar Ramesh survived the crash.
Ramesh described his harrowing ordeal to the Hindustan Times, saying, “When I awoke, there were bodies everywhere. I was terrified. I stood up and ran. There were fragments of the plane scattered all around. Someone grabbed me, placed me in an ambulance, and took me to the hospital.”
Hi, I’m Benjamin, a member of the Sherburne County Citizen team. With a passion for writing and a deep interest in current affairs, I thoroughly enjoy bringing you the latest news and trends that affect our daily lives.
