Captain had 8200 hours of flying experience; India's biggest aviation disaster, Malayalees among passengers? 

AHMEDABAD: There are indications that Malayalees are among the passengers on the Air India flight that crashed soon after takeoff in Ahmedabad. Some names of Malayalees are there on the passenger list. However, there is no confirmation on it. Out of the 242 passengers, 169 were Indians, 53 were British, seven were Portuguese, and one was Canadian. The injured have been admitted to nearby hospitals. Meanwhile, the death toll is said to have crossed 100.

It is reported that this is one of the biggest air crashes that have happened in India. The plane was flown by a highly experienced pilot. The plane was flown by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal along with First Officer Clive Kunder. Captain Sumeet Sabharwal had 8200 hours of flying experience. The co-pilot had 1100 hours of flying experience.

The accident occurred just eight minutes after take-off. The plane took off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at 1.39 pm and lost contact with air traffic control within a minute. It crashed shortly after. The plane exploded in a ball of fire from a height of 625 feet. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft that crashed has many safety features. Therefore, reports indicate that the chances of an accident are generally low. Special Passenger Hotline Number: 1800 5691 444