AHMEDABAD: Former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has been confirmed dead in the Air India flight crash near Ahmedabad on Thursday afternoon.The London-bound Boeing 787 Dreamliner, operating as flight AI 171, crashed in a residential area near Meghani Nagar just minutes after departing from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at 1.38 pm.Rupani was reportedly travelling in Business Class (Z category).Earlier, Gujarat BJP spokesperson Yagnesh Dave confirmed that Rupani had planned to travel on the flight. Also, sources close to the former Chief Minister informed about his plans to bring back his wife, Anjali Rupani, from London.Visuals from outside Rupani’s Rajkot residence showed a grim and anxious atmosphere, with concerned neighbours and well-wishers gathering outside., reported news agency ANI.The aircraft was reportedly carrying 242 people, including 230 passengers and 12 crew members. All people who were on board have been confirmed dead by the Ahmedabad police.Emergency response operations are ongoing. At least 60 bodies have been recovered from the crash site.The Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport resumed operations after shutting down briefly for around three hours following the crash.The airport was available for flight operations from 4.05 pm onwards, the Ministry of Civil Aviation said. Flight safety protocols are being followed with utmost care, the ministry added.Air India issued a dedicated passenger hotline – 1800 5691 444 – to provide information about the crash. Ahmedabad City Police also released an emergency helpline – 079-25620359 – for updates and assistance.The state and central governments are closely monitoring the situation.
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