Many feared dead in Air India plane crash with 242 passengers

Newsflash and Agencies

AHMEDABAD, India, June 12 – An Air India flight en route to London with 242 people on board crashed shortly after takeoff from the western Indian city of Ahmedabad on Thursday, according to the airline and local police. India’s federal health minister confirmed that “many people” had lost their lives in the accident.

Air India stated the flight was heading to Britain’s Gatwick Airport, while police reported the aircraft went down in a populated area close to the airport.

“The building on which it has crashed is a doctors’ hostel… we have cleared almost 70% to 80% of the area and will clear the rest soon,” a senior police official said during a media briefing.

A source said that among the 242 on board were 217 adults and 11 children. Air India further disclosed that the passengers included 169 Indian nationals, 53 British citizens, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian.

Flight tracking website Flightradar24 identified the aircraft as a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, one of the newest commercial aircraft models currently in use.

Ahmedabad-#London plane crash: Site where the #AirIndia aircraft crashes in Gujarat, pilot gave #Mayday call to Ahmedabad ATC

Air India has set up a dedicated passenger hotline number 1800 5691 444 for information regarding the same.

Track LIVE updates 🔗… pic.twitter.com/t59ASFayUr
— The Times Of India (@timesofindia) June 12, 2025

“At this moment, we are ascertaining the details and will share further updates,” Air India posted on X. “The injured are being taken to the nearest hospitals.”

News channels reported that the crash occurred moments after takeoff. One broadcast showed the plane ascending over a residential area before disappearing from view, followed by a massive fireball erupting behind houses.

Footage from the scene showed burning wreckage and thick columns of black smoke rising near the airport. Visuals also depicted emergency responders transporting injured individuals on stretchers and loading them into ambulances.

Mayday call and last contact

According to Ahmedabad Airport’s air traffic control, the aircraft took off from runway 23 at 1:39 p.m. (0809 GMT). A “Mayday” distress signal was issued shortly afterward, indicating a serious emergency. No further communication was received from the plane after that.

Flightradar24 confirmed it last received a signal from the jet only seconds after it departed.

“The aircraft involved is a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner with registration VT-ANB,”the site added.

Aircraft manufacturer Boeing said it was aware of the preliminary reports and was collecting more details. Boeing’s shares (BA.N) fell 6.8%, trading at $199.13 in pre-market hours following the news.

Incident in Modi’s Home State

The UK Foreign Office stated that it is working urgently with Indian officials to determine the facts of the incident and provide assistance to affected individuals.

India’s aviation ministry announced that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had ordered full support for rescue operations. The ministry added that all relevant agencies had been placed on high alert and were working in close coordination.

Ahmedabad is the main urban center in Gujarat, the home state of PM Modi. Following the crash, the city’s airport immediately suspended all flight operations. The facility is managed by the Adani Group, one of India’s largest conglomerates.

“We are shocked and deeply saddened by the tragedy of Air India Flight 171,”Adani Group chairman Gautam Adani posted on X.“Our hearts go out to the families who have suffered an unimaginable loss. We are working closely with all authorities and extending full support to the families on the ground.”

The last major fatal air crash in India occurred in 2020 involving an Air India Express aircraft, the budget carrier under the Air India banner. That plane, a Boeing 737, overshot a “table-top” runway at Kozhikode International Airport in Kerala, skidding into a valley and crashing nose-first.

Twenty-one people were killed in that accident.

Air India, formerly a state-run carrier, was acquired by the Tata Group in 2022. In 2024, it was merged with Vistara, the group’s joint venture with Singapore Airlines, as part of a major airline consolidation effort.

Following Thursday’s crash, Tata Group announced that it had activated an emergency response center and established a dedicated support team to assist families seeking information.