A London-bound Air India flight with 242 people on board crashed near Ahmedabad airport in Gujarat this afternoon. According to reports, the Boeing 787 aircraft issued a mayday call to Air Traffic Control just minutes after take-off. However, the plane went silent shortly thereafter and crashed within minutes in a residential area near the airport. As per reports, of the 242 people on board, 230 were passengers, along with ten crew members and two pilots. Among the passengers, 169 were Indian nationals and 53 were British. There were also seven Portuguese and one Canadian citizen on the flight. At the time of writing, relief and rescue operations were still underway.
PM calls plane crash ‘heartbreaking’
PM Modi has called the Air India plane crash ‘heartbreaking.’ In a post on X PM said, “The tragedy in Ahmedabad has stunned and saddened us. It is heartbreaking beyond words. In this sad hour, my thoughts are with everyone affected by it. Have been in touch with Ministers and authorities who are working to assist those affected.”
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has also called the crash devastating.
N Chandrasekaran, the Chairman of Tata Sons and Air India, confirmed the news in a social media post. He also announced that an emergency centre had been activated and support team had been set up for families seeking information.
Heatwave horror in Delhi
The Met Department has issued a red alert for Delhi and the wider National Capital Region, which includes Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, Noida and Greater Noida. The reason – soaring temperatures across the NCR. On Wednesday, actual temperatures climbed to between 43 and 45 degrees Celsius in several areas. However, the ‘feels like’ temperature – which factors in humidity and wind – touched 52 degrees Celsius in some pockets. The Met Department does not expect any relief from the brutal heatwave until Friday evening.
IAEA resolution against Iran
The Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency has passed a resolution stating that Iran is not complying with its nuclear obligations. This marks the first such finding in two decades by the UN nuclear watchdog. Reports say the IAEA has once again urged Iran to provide answers “without delay” regarding uranium traces found at several undeclared nuclear sites. If Iran fails to cooperate, it could face sanctions and other consequences.
Sharp decline on Dalal Street
Indian equities witnessed sharp declines in Thursday’s session. The Sensex fell a percent, dropping around 900 points, while the Nifty slipped below the 25,000 mark. Investor sentiment took a hit after US President Donald Trump renewed tariff threats, saying the US plans to send letters to its trading partners outlining unilateral tariff deals ahead of a July 9 deadline. Tensions have also risen due to reports that Israel may be preparing to strike Iran, keeping global markets on edge.
