Following the devasting crash of a London-bound Air India flight, Western Railway has announced the operation of additional trains from Ahmedabad to help manage the travel disruption caused by the incident. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, carrying 242 people, including 12 crew members, crashed shortly after taking off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport today afternoon.
As a result, flight operations at the airport were disrupted, prompting the railways to step in to support stranded passengers. Western Railway has also sent its Disaster Management Team, along with medical staff and Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel, to assist the Gujarat government and other agencies in ongoing rescue and relief efforts.
“In response to the tragic Ahmedabad plane crash, the Disaster Management Team of Western Railway is actively extending full support in relief and rescue operations at the site while maintaining close coordination with the State,” the railway said in a statement.
“Western Railway Medical Team and RPF (Railway Protection Force) personnel have also already been deployed for assisting in rescue operations. Additionally, Western Railway will operate extra trains from Ahmedabad based on demand. As of now, one train for Mumbai and one train for Delhi are being planned from Ahmedabad,” it added.
Meanwhile, the Gujarat government has mobilised three teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), comprising 90 personnel, from Gandhinagar to the crash site to aid rescue operations.
According to senior police officials, the aircraft crashed into a doctor’s hostel located just outside the airport perimeter. “After the takeoff, the plane crashed here and after a preliminary enquiry, we got to know that the … plane crashed into a building, which is a doctors’ hostel,” Jaipal Singh Rathore, Joint Commissioner of Police, Ahmedabad told reporters.
The Ahmedabad City Police has release an emergency helpline number for assistance and information related to the crash. “Ahmedabad City Police Emergency Number for Police Emergency Services and necessary information related to the Ahmedabad Plane Crash 07925620359,” Ahmedabad Police stated in a post on X.
(With inputs from ANI)