 "Rescue team members work as smoke rises at the site where an Air India plane crashed in Ahmedabad, India, on June 12, 2025. Reuters")
India was struck by a heartbreaking aviation disaster on Thursday afternoon (June 12), when an Air India flight from Ahmedabad to London crashed just minutes after takeoff.
In an official statement, Air India confirmed that the flight departed from Ahmedabad at 13:38 and was carrying 242 people, including both passengers and crew. Onboard were 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, 1 Canadian, and 7 Portuguese nationals.
Dramatic visuals from the site showed thick black smoke rising from the wreckage. According to reports, as many as 241 passengers tragically lost their lives, with only one survivor remaining to tell the tale.
Over the years, India has witnessed several such devastating air tragedies—from mid-air collisions and crashes due to extreme weather, to runway overruns at dangerous tabletop airports.
Here’s a look back at some of the most tragic air accidents in India’s aviation history.