Plane bound for London crashes after takeoff in Indian city Ahmedabad - this is what we know so far
A flight bound for London, with 242 people on board, has crashed today near the airport of the Indian city Ahmedabad.
A plane bound for London has crashed today near the airport in Ahmedabad, a city located in western India.
More than 240 on board Air India flight
Air India, the airline operating the flight, has confirmed that a Boeing 787-8 heading from Ahmedabad to Gatwick Airport was involved in an accident shortly after taking off at 1:38 p.m local time.
The carrier says there were 242 passengers and crew on board.
“Of these, 169 are Indian nationals, 53 are British nationals, 1 Canadian national and 7 Portuguese nationals,” Air India said.
At least one survivor, police say
Ahmedabad police has told local media that there is at least one survivor in the crash, while an official at Ahmedabad’s Civil Hospital says the medical center has received 186 bodies of passengers on the flight.
Speaking to the Associated Press, Dr. Dhaval Gameti also confirmed that he had examined the single known survivor.
“He was disoriented with multiple injuries all over his body,” Dr. Gameti said. “But he seems to be out of danger.”
Air India confirms that flight AI171, from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, was involved in an accident today after take-off.
— Air India (@airindia) June 12, 2025
The flight, which departed from Ahmedabad at 1338 hrs, was carrying 242 passengers and crew members on board the Boeing 787-8 aircraft. Of these, 169 are…
Emergency centre activated - Air India chief
Air India’s chairman, Natarajan Chandrasekaran, said in a statement: “Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with the families and loved ones of all those affected by this devastating event.
“At this moment, our primary focus is on supporting all the affected people and their families. We are doing everything in our power to assist the emergency response teams at the site and to provide all necessary support and care to those impacted.
“Further updates will be shared as we receive more verified information. An emergency centre has been activated and support team have been set up for families seeking information.”
Gatwick Airport said: “We can confirm that flight AI171 that crashed on departure from Ahmedabad Airport today was due to land at London Gatwick at 18:25 [BST].”
Crash seemingly caught on camera
The cause of the crash remains unknown. Video footage taken by a passerby in Ahmedabad appeared to show the plane starting to climb after takeoff, before quickly dropping towards the ground.
A plume of dark smoke could then be seen rising into the air.
The aircraft crashed in a residential area. Ahmedabad police has revealed that the flight came down on a hostel used as accommodation by doctors and medical students.
A spokesperson for the Federation of All India Medical Association says five residents of the hostel remain missing, with a further 50 suffering injuries.
Pilots sent mayday call
India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation has said in a statement that the pilots sent a mayday call to air traffic control in the moments before the crash.
Speaking to CNN, the aviation expert Geoffrey Thomas said the manner of the accident suggests the plane suffered engine trouble.
“One would have to suspect […] engine failure," Thomas said. The aircraft as it sank was completely in control. It just simply sank down.”
Caught On Cam: Passenger plane crashes near Ahmedabad Airport.#PlaneCrash #Gujarat #Ahmedabad #ViralVideo pic.twitter.com/EkitM2Eg9Y
— TIMES NOW (@TimesNow) June 12, 2025
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