 "In photos & videos: How the ill-fated Air India flight crashed in Ahmedabad, killing more than 200 on board")
An Air India flight bound for London from Gujarat’s Ahmedabad crashed minutes after take-off on Thursday (June 12) afternoon. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft with 242 people on board, including two pilots and 10 cabin crew, came down in a residential area near the Ahmedabad airport.
Visuals show a heavy black smoke billowing from the accident site. All but one person on the ill-fated Air India plane has died.
The AI-171 flight was on its way to London’s Gatwick Airport before the plane crashed into residential quarters of BJ Medical College in Ahmedabad’s Meghani Nagar.
According to the Indian aviation safety regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the pilot of the Air India aircraft gave a Mayday call to the Ahmedabad air traffic controller (ATC). However, there was no response later when ATC tried to get in touch.
“As per ATC (air traffic control), aircraft departed from Ahmadabad at 1339 IST (0809 UTC) from runway 23. It gave a MAYDAY Call to ATC, but thereafter, no response was given by the aircraft to the calls made by ATC. Aircraft, immediately after departure from Runway 23, fell on the ground outside the airport perimeter. Heavy black smoke was seen coming from the accident site,” said a senior official with the DGCA.
The crash took place around 2 pm. The last signal from the plane was received when it was at an altitude of 625 feet, BBC reported, citing Flight Radar. It then descended at a vertical speed of 475 feet per minute.
This is the first-ever crash involving a Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft globally.
Eyewitnesses said that the plane caused severe damage to buildings as it crashed into the residential quarters of BJ Medical College. They also claim that several people at the doctors’ accommodation suffered injuries.
“There are several five-floor buildings which serve as residential quarters. Many people in those apartments were injured as the buildings also caught fire,” Haresh Shah, an eyewitness, told PTI.
Another eyewitness said several vehicles parked on the premises also caught fire.
Photos and videos show the aircraft debris on fire, with thick black smoke rising into the sky near the airport.
VIDEO | Ahmedabad Plane Crash: Visuals of the engine of the ill-fated London-bound Air India plane that crashed in a residential area shortly after take off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport.
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) June 12, 2025
(Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/n147TvrpG7) pic.twitter.com/wHAWWxrw1B
Rescue operations are underway. Six teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been pressed into service.
Two BSF teams and 100 personnel of CRPF Rapid Action Force are on their way to the accident site to carry out relief and rescue operations.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called the tragedy “heartbreaking beyond words”. He wrote on X, “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.”
Tributes have also poured in from around the world. United Kingdom PM Keir Starmer said his thoughts were with the passengers and families of those on the Air India flight.
“The scenes emerging of a London-bound plane carrying many British nationals crashing in the Indian city of Ahmedabad are devastating.
“I am being kept updated as the situation develops, and my thoughts are with the passengers and their families at this deeply distressing time.”
#WATCH | Ahmedabad Plane Crash | Visuals from the doctors' hostel where the London-bound Air India flight crashed. The tail fin of the aircraft seen on the premises. pic.twitter.com/ij85a9rMEE
— ANI (@ANI) June 12, 2025
The Air India flight had 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, a Canadian national and seven Portuguese nationals on board, as per the airline.
Air India has set up a dedicated passenger hotline number, 1800 5691 444, to provide more information.
Civil Aviation Minister Rammohan Naidu is reaching Ahmedabad to monitor rescue and relief operations. The director general of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) and other top officials are also set to arrive in the city.
AAIB will investigate the Air India plane crash, an official told PTI.
With inputs from agencies
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