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The passengers comprised 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, 7 Portuguese nationals and 1 Canadian national
The tail of the airplane is seen stuck in a building at the site of an airplane that crashed in Ahmedabad. (PTI)
India witnessed one of its worst aviation tragedies on Thursday as an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner bound for London with 242 people on board—230 passengers, 10 crew members and two pilots—crashed within minutes after takeoff from Ahmedabad airport.
In an early morning post on X at 12.41am on Friday, Air India confirmed that 241 people had perished in the crash. A police official told news agency PTI that 265 bodies had been brought to the hospital. The plane had crashed into the mess area of a medical college hostel, causing what appears to be at lease two dozen fatalities on the ground.
“Air India confirms that flight AI171, operating from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick on 12 June 2025, was involved in an accident. The 12-year-old Boeing 787-8 aircraft departed from Ahmedabad at 1338 hrs, carrying 230 passengers and 12 crew. The aircraft crashed shortly after take-off. We regret to inform that, of the 242 aboard, there are 241 confirmed fatalities. The sole survivor is being treated in a hospital. The passengers comprised 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, 7 Portuguese nationals and 1 Canadian national. The survivor is a British national of Indian origin,” Air India posted on X.
“Air India offers its deepest condolences to the families of the deceased. Our efforts now are focused entirely on the needs of all those affected, their families and loved ones. A team of caregivers from Air India is now in Ahmedabad to provide additional support. Air India is giving its full cooperation to the authorities investigating this incident. Air India has also set up a dedicated passenger hotline number 1800 5691 444 to provide more information. Those calling from outside India can call on +91 8062779200. Regular updates will continue on Air India’s X handle (https://x.com/airindia) and on http://airindia.com as further information comes to hand,” it added.
The lone survivor was identified as Indian-origin British national Vishwash Kumar Ramesh who was returning to the UK with his brother Ajay Kumar Rakesh, 45, who was in a different row inside the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner.
Speaking to the media, Ramesh said: “Thirty seconds after take-off, there was a loud noise and then the plane crashed. It all happened so quickly.”
Among the deceased was former Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani who was on his way to London to meet his family.
The plane, which struggled to gain altitude, slammed into a hostel for doctors of a medical college, immediately killing five students.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who had expressed shock and grief over the crash, visited Ahmedabad on Friday. “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,” the PM tweeted on Thursday.
WHAT HAPPENED ON THURSDAY
At around 1.38pm, videos of the aircraft showed it flying low over a residential area and struggling to gain altitude. Within minutes, it hits the ground and explodes in a massive ball of fire. What seems to have compounded the impact was the fact that the airliner was loaded with aviation fuel since it was set to fly all the way to London.
It was also revealed that shortly after takeoff, the pilot sent out a “Mayday” call, but when Air Traffic Control tried to make repeated attempts to get in touch with the flight, there was no response.
Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu said he is personally monitoring the situation and directed all aviation and emergency response agencies to take swift and coordinated action. “My thoughts and prayers are with all those on board and their families,” he said in a post on X.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in a statement said the aircraft piloted by captain Sumeet Sabharwal with 8,200 hours of experience and first officer Clive Kundar with 1,100 hours of experience made a mayday call just before the crash.
Apoorva Misra is News Editor at News18.com with over nine years of experience. She is a graduate from Delhi University’s Lady Shri Ram College and holds a PG Diploma from Asian College of Journalism, Chennai. M…Read More
Apoorva Misra is News Editor at News18.com with over nine years of experience. She is a graduate from Delhi University’s Lady Shri Ram College and holds a PG Diploma from Asian College of Journalism, Chennai. M… Read More
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