Damage at a building following the Air India plane crash, in Ahmedabad
Credit: PTI Photo
The aircraft crashed in Meghaninagar area of Ahmedabad, police said. The plane crashed soon after taking off from Ahmedabad International Airport around 2 pm, police said. "We are acquiring details about the casualties," said Deputy Commissioner of Police, Kanan Desai. Fire tenders were rushed to the spot to douse the blaze, said fire officer Jayesh Khadia.
Personally monitoring situation; we are at highest alert, Aviation minister Naidu adds.
Injured being taken on a stretcher at a hospital in Ahmedabad airport, Thursday, June 12, 2025.
Smoke billows after a plane crashed and caught fire in Meghaninagar area, near Ahmedabad airport, Thursday, June 12, 2025.
Air India has set up a dedicated passenger hotline number - 1800 5691 444 - to provide more information.
For assistance or information, kindly contact: (Delhi Control Room) 011-24610843 | 9650391859
Operation Control Room (Ahmedabad) 9978405304 | 079-23251900
Soon after the takeoff, the pilot of ill-fated Air India aircraft gave a Mayday call to the Ahmedabad air traffic controller.
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A plane crashed in the Meghaninagar area near Ahmedabad airport on Thursday afternoon, police said.
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An Air India flight from Ahmedabad to London went down shortly after takeoff. Amid ongoing investigations, we look back at some of the worst aviation tragedies in India’s aviation history.
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Shares of planemaker Boeing fell 8 per cent in premarket US trading on Thursday (June 12) after an Air India aircraft with 242 people crashed minutes after taking off from India's western city of Ahmedabad.
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For any assistance/information, please reach out to +91 9974111327
Indian Railways will run air-conditioned special trains to move people who are stranded in Ahmedabad due to airport closure. Two trains will be run at 12:000 AM tonight. The AC trains will have AC-3 tier coaches and will be run from Ahmedabad to Delhi and Ahmedabad to Mumbai.
The Air India plane bound for London, which lost altitude soon after take- off, crashed into residential quarters of BJ Medical College doctors in Ahmedabad's Meghaninagar area on Thursday, causing severe damage to buildings in the premises, eyewitnesses said. Several people living in the residential quarters located near the Ahmedabad airport were injured in the crash, they claimed though there was no official confirmation of this. The plane was flying very low and it crashed into the residential quarters of doctors of the government-run college, an eyewitness, Haresh Shah, told PTI.
Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) will probe the Air India plane crash at the Ahmedabad airport on Thursday, according to an official.
Air India's Dreamliner Boeing 787 aircraft, involved in the crash, had 242 people on board, including 12 crew members.
AAIB Director General and Director of Investigation at the agency, among others, will be leaving for Ahmedabad, the official said.
Under the civil aviation ministry, AAIB is responsible for the classification of safety occurrences, involving aircraft operating in the Indian airspace into accidents and serious incidents.
It carries out detailed investigations into accidents and also suggests measures to improve safety.
Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Thursday said the plane crash has left the nation dealing with a devastating human tragedy.
A London-bound Air India plane carrying 242 passengers and crew crashed in a crashed into residential quarters of BJ Medical College doctors in Ahmedabad's Meghaninagar area after taking off from the airport on Thursday afternoon. Many people were feared killed.
"My wife and I have been desperately shocked by the terrible events in Ahmedabad this morning. Our special prayers and deepest possible sympathy are with the families and friends of all those affected by this appallingly tragic incident across so many nations, as they await news of their loved ones. I would like to pay a particular tribute to the heroic efforts of the emergency services and all those providing help and support at this most heartbreaking and traumatic time," the message reads.
"Deeply saddened by the tragic Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad earlier today. The loss of so many lives is heartbreaking. We extend our deepest condolences to the families who have lost loved ones, and to the people of India in this time of sorrow."
Ahmedabad police commissioner GS Malik said possibility of survivors in Thursday's Air India plane crash cannot be ruled.
He said rescue operations are underway at the site of the crash in Meghaninagar close to Ahmedabad international airport. The Air India Ahmedabad-London flight, with 230 passengers and 12 crew members on board, crashed minutes after taking off at 1:39pm.
Videos showed the jet losing altitude before crashing, triggering a ball of fire followed by thick plumes of smoke rising into the sky. "Possibility of survivors in the plane crash incident cannot be ruled out. Our rescue operations at the site are still ongoing. Some people have been taken to hospital," Malik said.
In addition to the dedicated passenger hotline number 1800 5691 444, we have added another hotline number for foreign nationals +91 8062779200.
Air India requests media persons not to call the dedicated passenger hotline number.
he National Transportation Safety Board said on Thursday it will lead a team of U.S. investigators traveling to India to help in the investigation of the crash of an Air India Boeing 787 bound for London with 242 people aboard. (Reuters)
Speaking to ANI on a phone call, Ahmedabad Police Commissioner GS Malik says, "The police found one survivor in seat 11A. One survivor has been found in the hospital and is under treatment. Cannot say anything about the number of deaths yet. The death toll may increase as the flight crashed in a residential area."
The Maharashtra government on Thursday released helpline numbers for the relatives of victims of the London-bound Air India flight that crashed in Ahmedabad in the afternoon.
In a statement, the Disaster Management Cell in the Mantralaya, the state secretariat, released three helpline numbers - 022-22027990, 022-22794229 and 9321587143. It also released an emergency helpline number - 1070. The relatives and affected citizens can contact these numbers for information related to the tragedy, it said.
An Ahmedabad-London Air India flight carrying 242 passengers and crew crashed into a medical college complex in Ahmedabad minutes after its take-off, possibly killing all on board in one of the country’s worst air tragedies. But there is no official count of the fatalities so far. According to Air India, of the 230 passengers, 169 were Indians, 53 British, seven Portuguese and one Canadian. The other 12 were two pilots and 10 crew members.
N Secretary General Antonio Guterres, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney were among scores of world leaders who offered condolences to the people of India in wake of the plane crash in Ahmedabad on Thursday.
A London-bound Air India plane carrying 242 passengers and crew crashed in a residential area in Ahmedabad minutes after taking off. Many people are feared killed. There were 169 Indians, 53 British, one Canadian and seven Portuguese nationals onboard apart from 12 crew members.
President Putin offered condolences to Indian President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and expressed “deepest condolences,” over the plane crash, the Kremlin said.
“Please convey my sympathy and support to the families of those killed and my wishes for a swift recovery to those injured in the crash,” TASS said, quoting Putin's message.
Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney said he is “devastated” to learn about the crash that had one Canadian national among those on board.
Details of the flights:
IX1555 – Delhi-Ahmedabad Time of departure: 2300 hrs on 12 June
IX1556 – Ahmedabad-Delhi Time of departure: 0110 hrs on 13 June
AI1402 – Mumbai-Ahmedabad Time of departure: 2300 hrs on 12 June
AI1409 – Ahmedabad-Mumbai Time of departure: 0115 hrs on 13 June
Next of kin of passengers and staff in Delhi and Mumbai wanting to travel on these flights can call our hotline on 1800 5691 444.
Additionally, those coming in from international destinations and wanting to travel can call our hotline on +91 8062779200
At least ten Rajasthan natives, four from Udaipur and five of a family from Banswara district, were among those onboard the Air India flight AI-171 that crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad airport Thursday afternoon, officials said.
The aircraft, which was headed to London, crashed around 1.40 pm, just two minutes after takeoff, near the airport boundary wall adjacent to the Air Customs Cargo office, sending thick plumes of smoke across the area.
The flight had departed from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at 1.38 pm with 242 passengers and crew members onboard.
Among the passengers were Shubh and Shagun Modi, the son and daughter of marble trader Sanjeev Modi from Udaipur. The siblings, both MBA graduates, were involved in their father's business and were travelling to London for leisure, officials said.
District Collector Namit Mehta visited their house in Saheli Nagar to meet the family.
Savjibhai Timbadia can’t stop thanking the gods as his decision not to take the Air India flight from Ahmedabad to London on Thursday saved his life. “I owe my life to Swaminarayan and thank the gods for saving me,” Timbadia told a TV news channel.
“My son, who stays in London, had earlier booked this flight. A seat number was also allotted to me, but I postponed my departure by four days,” said Timbadia, who is in his late 60s.
“I did not realise that this decision would save my life. After the crash, my son called me up from London and told me that my good deeds in this life saved me,” he said.
British agency that investigates civil aircraft accidents and serious incidents on Thursday said it will be deploying a multidisciplinary investigation team to India to support the Indian-led investigation into the plane crash in Ahmedabad.
The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) said it has "formally offered its assistance" to the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau in India.
It said it would have “expert status” in the Indian investigation because UK citizens were on board the plane.
"We are deploying a multidisciplinary investigation team to India to support the Indian-led investigation. Our thoughts are with all those affected by this tragic accident,” AAIB said.
Insurance payout to dependents of passengers who died in the Air India plane crash at Ahemdabad will be governed by the applicable Montreal Convention of which India is a signatory, said experts.
The nationality of the passengers onboard will define the minimum liability applicable to the airline operator as per the Montreal Convention, Prudent Insurance Brokers vice president (aviation & specialty lines) Hitesh Girotra said.
While interim compensation may be announced by the airline, final compensation for passengers will be determined under the Montreal Convention of 1999, to which India became a signatory in 2009, brokerage firm Howden (India) MD and CEO Amit Agarwal said.
"Compensation is calculated using Special Drawing Rights (SDRs), which stood at 128,821 SDRs (approximately USD 1.33 per SDR) as of October 2024. The actual payout will depend on the coverage purchased by Air India," Agarwal said.
GE Aerospace on Thursday said it is prepared to support Air India and the investigation into the plane crash in Ahmedabad.
"We have activated our emergency response team, and we are prepared to support our customer and the investigation," a GE Aerospace spokesperson said in a statement.
The London Gatwick-bound Boeing 787 aircraft was powered by GE engines.
"We are deeply saddened by the loss of Air India Flight AI-171. We extend our heartfelt sympathies to the families and loved ones of those impacted," the spokesperson said.
Kongbrailatpam Nganthoi Sharma's worst fear came true on Thursday as the London-bound flight on which she was a cabin crew member, crashed in Ahmedabad, even though her family clings to hope as her mobile phone is still switched on and is receiving signals but nobody is responding to their repeated calls.
Twenty-year-old Nganthoi, who was a cabin crew member for the last three years, was among the 242 people onboard Air India Flight AI 171, which crashed minutes after take-off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad in the afternoon.
Many casualties are feared but the fate of the cabin crew member from Manipur's Thoubal district was not yet known as the authorities did not release a list of fatalities till the filing of this report.
"We called her up several times after receiving the news but nobody picked up the calls. The internet on her phone is also still on. However, we stopped calling her around 6 pm fearing it would drain the battery," K Khenjita, a relative of Nganthoi, told PTI.
A cousin of the cabin crew member said her last message before take-off was, "I'm going to London. In a few minutes, we'll take off. We may not be able to talk for a while."
Wails pierced the air in Awang Leikai in Thoubal as the news of the crash reached the Sharma residence.
"We were devastated upon hearing the news... I was very close to her. Today, I can't help but remember what she had said earlier. She had said she was very scared of plane crash and did not know what she would do in such a scenario," Nganthoi's cousin told PTI.
National conference president Farooq Abdullah Thursday expressed his grief at the Ahmedabad plane crash and demanded a thorough investigation into the incident.
Farooq told reporters, "I think this is the first time in many, many years that such a tragedy has taken place in our country. I heard there was a power failure when the plane was gaining height. It struck a building, and God knows how many people inside the building survived. This is very unfortunate." (PTI)
As a London-bound Air India plane carrying 242 passengers and crew crashed soon after taking off from Ahmedabad airport on Thursday, the Ministry of External Affairs termed it a "very tragic accident" and extended condolences to the people who lost their loved ones in the accident.
According to Air India, the flight to Gatwick had 169 Indians, 53 British, seven Portuguese and one Canadian national on board.
The MEA is in touch with authorities at the relevant embassies since there were nationals of a few other countries also on the flight AI171, it is learnt. (PTI)
The Air India counters at London Gatwick Airport, where AI171 from Ahmedabad was due to land at 1825 local time on Thursday, was the scene of an eerie quiet as the world’s media gathered to cover the tragic plane crash in India.
Camera crews from leading news outlets in the UK as well as Portugal and Canada, nationals of which countries were among the 242 passengers and crew on board the flight, were joined by several others to capture the scene at the UK’s second busiest international airport after Heathrow. (PTI)
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri, Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur and former CM P K Dhumal on Thursday mourned the death of people in the plane crash at Ahmedabad. (PTI)
Union ministers and India Inc on Thursday expressed shock at the crash of the London-bound Air India flight and extended heartfelt condolences to the family members of passengers on the ill-fated flight. (PTI)
The Supreme Court Bar Association on Thursday extended condolences to the families affected by the air crash of a London-bound Air India plane in Ahmedabad.
"We extend our heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims, including the medical students and staff who tragically lost their lives. (PTI)
"We are shocked and saddened to learn of the accident involving #AI171. Our thoughts and prayers are with the passengers and crew, their families and loved ones, and those affected by the accident," IATA said in a statement. (PTI)
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav condoled the death of former Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani in the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad on Thursday afternoon and hailed him for dedicating his life to the development of his state. (PTI)
US Secretary Of State Marco Rubio said Washington continues to monitor developments and stands with the emergency responders working to help those impacted.
“Heartbroken to hear the news of a tragic plane crash in Ahmedabad, India. My prayers are with all who lost their loved ones in this horrible incident. We continue to monitor developments and stand with the emergency responders working to help those impacted,” Rubio said in a post on X. (PTI)
Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan and Navy chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi on Thursday expressed their deepest condolences to the families who lost their loved ones in the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad.
"General Anil Chauhan, Chief of Defence Staff and All Personnel of #IndianArmedForces express deepest condolences on the tragic aircraft accident of Air India in Ahmedabad. We pray for strength for the families and loved ones affected by this devastating event," the Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff posted on X. (PTI)
Former Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das on Thursday offered condolences to the family members of passengers and crew of London-boun Air India that crashed in Ahmedabad.
In a statement here, the senior BJP leader said the incident has left the entire nation in grief. (PTI)
A strong stench of aviation fuel mixed with scorched human flesh lingered in the air hours after the London-bound Air India plane crashed here on Thursday afternoon.
Nine hours after the tragic incident, remnants of fires still flickered on charred stems of trees surrounding the crash site, a haunting reminder of the ferocity of the blaze. (PTI)
A private airline's flight from Kolkata to Ahmedabad returned to NSCBI Airport here on Thursday after getting airborne since the destination was closed after an Air India aircraft crashed shortly after take-off, officials said. (PTI)
At least 11 Rajasthan natives, four from Udaipur and five of a family from Banswara district, were among those onboard the Air India flight that crashed shortly after takeoff from the Ahmedabad airport on Thursday, officials said. (PTI)
President Droupadi Murmu on Thursday said the loss of lives in the Ahmedabad plane crash was utterly devastating and offered heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family members.
In a post on X, she also grieved the death of former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani in the tragedy. (PTI)
Air India has confirmed that 241 people on board its London-bound flight were killed when the aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff from the Ahmedabad airport on Thursday.
The Boeing 787-8 aircraft was carrying 242 passengers and crew members. The passengers comprised 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese nationals and one Canadian national.
"We regret to inform that of the 242 aboard, there are 241 confirmed fatalities," the airline said in a statement issued late Thursday.
It said the sole survivor is a British national of Indian origin and is being treated in a hospital. (PTI)
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday said he is "deeply shocked" to learn about the Air India flight that crashed minutes after taking off from the Ahmedabad airport.
The external affairs minister is currently on an official tour abroad.
"Deeply shocked to learn about the flight crash in Ahmedabad. Our prayers are with the passengers and their families," Jaishankar posted on X.(PTI)
Four MBBS students and a doctor's wife were among those killed after the London-bound Air India plane crashed into residential quarters of the BJ Medical college here on Thursday afternoon, a senior official said. Two other MBBS students and three relatives of doctors are missing, she said. (PTI)
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Thursday said that a UK investigation team has been dispatched as part of the ongoing investigation into the London-bound Air India Flight 171 crash in Ahmedabad.
His statement came soon after a British agency that investigates civil aircraft accidents and serious incidents said it will be deploying a multidisciplinary investigation team to India to support the Indian-led investigation into the crash. (PTI)
The temperature in and around the crashed Air India plane rose to around 1,000 degrees C which made the rescue operation extremely difficult, officials said on Thursday night. Even dogs and birds at the site could not escape, they said. (PTI)
The British High Commission in India Thursday said it is working with local authorities to urgently establish facts about the London-bound plane that crashed soon after taking off from Ahmedabad airport and provide support.
"We are aware that a flight from Ahmedabad to London has crashed near Ahmedabad airport. We are working with local authorities to urgently establish the facts and provide support. Our thoughts are with all those affected," the British High Commission here said in a brief statement on its official X handle. (PTI)