Air India Crash in Ahmedabad was a tragic event in the history of air travel: A devastating aviation disaster.
June 12, 2025: Aviation tragedy hit Ahmedabad, Gujarat, when Air India Flight AI171 a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft to the Gatwick Airport in London, crashed a few minutes after takeoff for Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. This is a huge shock to India and the world at large as per the reports given the loss of life is very high and the devastation in the Meghaninagar locality around the airport is very severe and widely spread. With rescue and relief efforts still ongoing, officials are dealing with the consequences of one of the worst air accidents to have occurred in India in recent times.
Air India Crash in Ahmedabad was a tragic event in the history of air travel: A devastating aviation disaster.
Important Facts of Ahmedabad Plane Crash.
Flight and Aircraft Information
Air India Flight AI171, a flight that was traveling Ahmedabad to London Gatwick had 242 people on board; 230 passengers and 12 crew members including two pilots. The passenger list contained 169 Indians, 53 British, seven Portuguese and a Canadian citizen. The plane, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner (VT-ANB) had taken off at 1:39 p.m. IST and crashed a few minutes later, at an altitude of around 825 feet, crashing in a residential locality.
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Crash site and sudden impacts
The aircraft fell in Meghaninagar locality, beside a medical college campus and residential houses, a students hostel and staff quarters. The crash resulted in a huge fire, and dense black smoke could be seen in central Ahmedabad. Images of the scene depicted burnt remains and a damaged fuselage, which highlighted the dreadfulness of the accident. About 50 wounded (including local residents) were taken to Ahmedabad Civil Hospital.
Casualties and survivors
There were initially no expectations of any survivors and the Gujarat Police Commissioner later announced the unfortunate death of all 242 people on board including the former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, who was reportedly flying to London to meet his daughter. The Ahmedabad police however, later on pointed out that they could not rule out the possibility of survivors, until further investigation. Residents on the ground were also injured in the crash, some of the students fled the burning hostel, but 10 -12 of them were said to be trapped in the fire.
Emergency Response:
Seven fire engines and several rescue units were used in order to overcome the fire and provide relief efforts. Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel instructed authorities to speed up rescue operations and provide medical attention to the wounded, including arranging a green corridor to provide quick transfer to hospitals. Union Home Minister Amit Shah assured of all central support and an emergency meeting was conducted in New Delhi with senior officials of the Ministry of Civil Aviation to review the incident. Indian Railways also declared two special trains (one each in Ahmedabad-New Delhi and Mumbai) to help the affected families.
Official Reactions:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also offered a deep sense of grief, terming the tragedy as heartbreaking beyond words and said that coordination with authorities is underway. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer termed the scenes as devastating and King Charles and Queen Camilla honoured the heroic work of emergency services. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney also offered condolences, since there was a Canadian national on board.
Airport operation:
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has initiated an investigation to establish the cause of the crash and the recovery of the black box is likely to give crucial evidence. The pilot supposedly issued a “Mayday” call prior to the crash, which means an emergency. The airport in Ahmedabad has been shut down temporarily to commercial flights and only a few flights will start operating later in the day. Travellers were requested to contact airlines to get updates.
Global and Local Effects: