NEW DELHI — An Air India flight to London with 242 people on board crashed soon after takeoff in the western city of Ahmedabad in Gujarat, the airline said on Thursday without giving details about fatalities and injuries.
“Flight AI171, operating Ahmedabad-London Gatwick, was involved in an incident today, 12 June 2025. At this moment, we are ascertaining the details and will share further updates at the earliest,” an Air India spokesperson posted on X.
The post also said that the plane, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, was carrying 242 passengers and crew members. Of them, 169 are Indian nationals, 53 British, 1 Canadian and 7 Portuguese.
reported at least 30 bodies have been recovered from a building at the site of the plane crash, citing rescue workers.
The plane crashed near the Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel Airport in Ahmedabad in Gujarat, the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“The tragedy in Ahmedabad has stunned and saddened us,” Modi posted on X. “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.”
India’s Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu posted on X: “Rescue teams have been mobilized, and all efforts are being made to ensure medical aid and relief support are being rushed to the site. My thoughts and prayers are with all those on board and their families.”
A local TV quoted the Directorate General of Civil Aviation as saying that the aircraft “made a mayday call just before the crash.”
Footage on Indian private TV channel, WION, showed the plane flying low before disappearing from view. A ball of fire followed by a thick plume of smoke engulfing the area quickly appeared from where the plane fell out of sight. Some injured being taken to hospital was also shown in separate footage.
An airport spokesperson said in a statement that the flight crashed shortly near the airport. As a result, the airport in Ahmedabad “is currently not operational,” the spokesperson said. “All flight operations are temporarily suspended until further notice.”
“Passengers are advised to check with their respective airlines for the latest updates before proceeding to the airport. We request your cooperation and patience as authorities manage this evolving situation,” the spokesperson added.
Tata Group-owned Air India chairman N. Chandrasekaran mourned the crash. “With profound sorrow I confirm that Air India Flight 171 operating Ahmedabad London Gatwick was involved in a tragic accident today,” he said in a statement posted by Tata Group on X. “Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with the families and loved ones of all those affected by this devastating event.”
The post said that the company was assisting emergency response teams and providing all necess support and care to those impacted, adding that it had set up an emergency center for families.
Boeing’s safety has come under scrutiny over the last few years. The door of an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9, carrying 177 passengers, blew out in Janu last year. The plane, enroute to Ontario in California, was forced to return to Portland, Oregon.
This accident followed two fatal crashes involving Boeing 737 Max aircraft — in Indonesia in 2018 and in Ethiopia five months later
