Air India chairman expresses 'profound sorrow' as UK-bound plane crashes
Air India chairman expresses 'profound sorrow' as UK-bound plane crashes
Air India Flight 171 from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick crashed seconds after takeoff
Firefighters work at the site of the crash (AP/Ajit Solanki)
Air India's chairman has expressed his 'profound sorrow' after a plane bound for London Gatwick crashed shortly after take-off, with more than 240 people aboard.
N. Chandrasekaran said: 'With profound sorrow I confirm that Air India Flight 171 operating Ahmedabad London Gatwick was involved in a tragic accident today. Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with the families and loved ones of all those affected by this devastating event.
'At this moment, our primary focus is on supporting all the affected people and their families. We are doing everything in our power to assist the emergency response teams at the site and to provide all necessary support and care to those impacted.
'Further updates will be shared as we receive more verified information.
'An emergency centre has been activated and support team have been set up for families seeking information.'
The Air India flight was departing from Ahmedabad airport, with 244 people were onboard the Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft. Videos posted on social media show a large explosion as the plane crashes in a residential area.
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Faiz Ahmed Kidwai, director general of India's directorate of civil aviation, told the Associated Press the crash happened in the Meghani Nagar area at 1.38pm local time (9.08am BST). Mr Kidwai said there were 232 passengers and 12 crew members onboard.
Emergency teams have been activated at Ahmedabad airport. This is the first crash involving a Boeing 787 aircraft, according to the Aviation Safety Network database.
A spokesperson for Air India said: '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.'
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Flight tracking website Flightradar24 posted on social media platform X: 'We are following reports of a crash of Air India flight #AI171 from Ahmedabad to London. 'We received the last signal from the aircraft at 08:08:51 UTC (shortly before 9.09am BST), just seconds after take off.
'The aircraft involved is a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner with registration VT-ANB.'
It added that the signal from the aircraft was lost 'less than a minute after take-off'.
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The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
‘My grandson was burnt alive': Grief engulfs neighbourhood where Air India crash killed dozens on the ground
Grief hangs heavy in Meghani Nagar in Ahmedabad, as the wreckage of a London‑bound Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner lies smouldering in the compound of BJ Medical College. The devastating crash – which took place around 2pm local time on Thursday – left emergency services scrambling amid thick plumes of smoke and debris, entire streets in shock and families shattered. All but one of the 242 people on board the flight were killed, but there were dozens more fatalities on the ground as the plane came down in a residential area. Among those devastated by the unfathomable tragedy is the Patni family. Seventy-year-old Babibehen Babu Bhai Patni sits on the gritty communal floor of her residential society, utterly inconsolable. Click here for the latest updates on the crash She mourns her 12-year-old grandson Akash, whose life was tragically cut short, while her son and daughter‑in‑law suffered grievous injuries. The young boy was accompanying his mother, Sitabehen Patni, when he fell asleep beneath a tree near their tea stall on the college grounds. Moments later, the aircraft hurtled from the sky, engulfing him in a fatal fire. 'All that remains of him is his burnt body, almost looking like a piece of ash,' Babibehen says, her voice choked with agony. 'My daughter… her arm, her leg, all burnt. She is serious and in ICU. My son is also burnt. Nothing of my grandson's is left. What will I do? Is this even his age to die?' Her grief is unfiltered, raw, and unrelenting as she wails loudly, surrounded by the women of her community. The body of Akash remains at the hospital in Ahmedabad, awaiting identification and release to his family – a cruel limbo that amplifies her sorrow. Outside the Civil Hospital, 24‑year‑old Kajal Patni – Akash's grief-struck elder sister – waits in the oppressive sun as she retraces the final moments of her brother's life 'He had gone to get lunch for my parents at around 2pm,' she explains. 'Mum had come home for a quick shower, so he took a nap waiting for her. She was almost back when the crash happened. A deafening explosion was followed by wisps of dark smoke. When she ran towards him, everything was pitch‑black. Tears stream down her face. 'The authorities haven't told me when I will see his body. I just want my brother… I feel restless, suffocated, like I cannot breathe. Both my children used to play around him. What will I tell them?' This grief is not contained within hospital walls; it spills across the campus grounds, amplified by cellphone videos circulating of Akash's charred, unidentifiable remains lying in the rubble. Inside the medical college hostel kitchen, 30‑year‑old Shahana Khatoon was cleaning pots when the calamity struck. 'I heard a huge explosion,' she recalls, eyes distant. 'Suddenly, everything went black – from the dense smoke. At first, I thought it was a big storm. But then people started yelling, 'A plane has crashed! Run!' Debris and dust filled the air. I was terrified.' She and a colleague attempted to flee, aided by two boys eating at a café nearby. 'They saved us, but both were injured in the melee,' she says, referring to the chaos left in the wake of the crash. Now, Khatoon anxiously awaits news of her missing co‑worker and the woman's two-year-old granddaughter, Adiya. 'Their bodies haven't been found,' she says, voice quivering. 'We're still looking for them.' Her husband, Kurban Ali, 35, rushed to the site fearing for his wife and daughter's lives. 'I was frantic,' he says. 'Police wouldn't let me in. My wife and daughter returned about four hours later – thankfully okay –but those hours were quite painful for me. I did not know whether they were dead or alive.' 'It was at least an hour after the incident, that my wife managed to contact me and tell that she was safe,' he says, standing outside his society. Footage recorded by residents captured the scene: thick black smoke swallowed hundreds of metres of the campus, as survivors frantically tried to escape the blast zone. From his sixth-floor kitchen window, 38‑year‑old Arunbhai Mangal Bhai Parmar witnessed the horrifying descent of the aircraft. 'It was flying straight, then suddenly just stopped –parked in the air – and plunged,' he says, mimicking its sudden drop. 'Then came the blast.' He tried to assist but was thwarted by fire and security barriers, he says. 'The rescue work could only begin once the fire brigade arrived – about 30 minutes later. Even then, I could do nothing; police had already blocked access.' 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The impact of the plane crash could also be seen outside the post-mortem office of Civil Hospital, located about a kilometre from the impact site. The air was thick with the smell of burnt bodies, with officials, civilians and media personnel roaming around with their faces covered with masks. Hundreds of relatives gathered outside sat inert, their expressions vacant with loss and uncertainty. Some waited for the bodies of loved ones, others held on to a flicker of hope, as ambulances arrived in quick succession. Security forces – police, CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force), NSG (National Security Guard) and NDRF (National Disaster Response Force) – were rapidly deployed after the crash, and the government swiftly imposed strict information controls. Air India's parent company, the Tata Group, has pledged Rs10m – roughly £86,000 –to the next of kin of each victim. They will also cover medical expenses of the injured and assist in rebuilding parts of the college. But as yet, the final death toll from the ground has yet to be confirmed. Officials on condition of anonymity told The Independent that at least seven bodies have been released to families after post‑mortem checks and DNA tests. A senior hospital official said: 'They have instructed us not to release the death toll for another two days, until all bodies are identified.'
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Aussie cricket star David Warner has vowed to NEVER fly with Air India again after plane crash disaster
Former Australian cricketer David Warner has vowed to never fly Air India against after the recent plane crash disaster that killed 274 people. On June 12, Air India Flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner enroute from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, crashed shortly after takeoff, resulting in 274 fatalities, including 241 onboard and 33 on the ground. The aircraft lost stability at approximately 625 feet altitude and descended rapidly within a minute of departure, crashing into the hostel block of B.J. Medical College in the Meghaninagar area of Ahmedabad. The sole survivor, 40-year-old British national Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, was seated in seat 11A near an emergency exit and managed to escape the wreckage with injuries. Investigations are ongoing, with both black boxes recovered, one of which sustained minor damage. Preliminary reports suggest potential mechanical failures, with the aircraft's landing gear possibly still deployed during takeoff. Warner, who recently returned to Pakistan for the completion of the PSL, shared an alleged account from an ex-Air India crew person named Vivek that had been posted to social media. 'Hey! I'm an ex air india crew and this was a frequent aircraft that I'd fly,' the original post read. 'This aircraft has had issues for YEARS. Literally years. 'The crew, pilots, engineers, literally everyone has always mentioned about it in the log book. 'But the company didn't have a spare Dreamliner for their most precious Gatwick sector. Which is why we were always made to fly this aircraft. 'I've myself had an engine failure on this aircraft. Thankfully we landed back safely. 'It was a similar case where we took off and immediately landed back without being in air for even 30 mins. 'Here, no staff but solely the company is at fault. But the company won't let any staff talk about it on a public channel. They'd rather blame the staff and not take accountability.' 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Our efforts now are focused entirely on the needs of all those affected, their families and loved ones,' it said in a statement. 'A team of caregivers from Air India is now in Ahmedabad to provide additional support. Air India is giving its full cooperation to the authorities investigating this incident.' In a separate statement, Boeing said: 'We are in contact with Air India regarding Flight 171 and stand ready to support them. Our thoughts are with the passengers, crew, first responders and all affected.' Warner became one of the most successful overseas players in history in the Indian Premier League and is a local favourite. UPDATE: Air India confirms that flight AI171, operating from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick on 12 June 2025, was involved in an accident. The 12-year-old Boeing 787-8 aircraft departed from Ahmedabad at 1338 hrs, carrying 230 passengers and 12 crew. The aircraft crashed shortly… — Air India (@airindia) June 12, 2025 A statement from Boeing President and CEO Kelly Ortberg on Air India Flight 171. Full statement: — Boeing Airplanes (@BoeingAirplanes) June 12, 2025 Over 176 matches, he scored 6397 runs at an average of 41.54 and a strike rate of 139.91. He notched up four centuries and 61 fifties, and claimed the Orange Cap as the league's leading running scorer three times - in 2015, 2017 and 2019. Warner also captained Sunrisers Hyderabad to their only IPL title in 2016. The left-hander is also the fourth highest run-scorer in the league's history, behind only Indian legends Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Warner went unsold in the most recent IPL auction and played in the Pakistan Super League instead. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the disaster was devastating.
Daily Mirror
2 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
NHS pays tribute to 'dedicated' doctor and family who died in plane crash
Dr Prateek Joshi was flying back to the UK with his wife Komi Vyas and their three children on the doomed Air India plane after they planned to settle down in the East Midlands In an emotional tribute University Hospitals of Derby and Burton (UHDB) and the NHS have shared their "deep sadness" following the tragic death of Dr Prateek Joshi and his family in the Air India plane crash this week. There were among the 242 passengers and crew on board, including 169 Indian nationals, 53 Brits, seven Portuguese nationals and one Canadian. Harrowing stories of the dead continued to emerge on Friday - including more tributes for Dr Joshi and his family who posted a selfie of them innocently smiling after boarding the Boeing 787 plane before it took off. Dr Joshi, 43, worked as a consultant radiologist at the Royal Derby Hospital and Queen's Hospital Burton for four years, after moving to Derby from India in 2021. He was flying back to the UK with his wife Komi Vyas – a fellow doctor - their daughter Miraya, eight, and twin sons, Pradyut and Nakul, five, who planned to settle down in the East Midlands. The NHS has released a new tribute to the doctor and his family on Friday. Dr Rajeev Singh, Consultant Radiologist and Clinical Director for Imaging at UHDB, who knew the family well has shared some words which truly capture the person Prateek was. Dr Singh said: "Prateek was full of joy, he was a wonderful man, friend, husband and father, and an exceptional Radiologist who was highly respected in his field. He approached everything with a smile, radiated positivity and had a great sense of humour. "He moved to Derby, from India, in 2021, quickly becoming a beloved colleague. He often entertained colleagues with stories about his passions outside of work, including his newly discovered love of fish and chips and enthusiasm for walking in the Peak District. "He touched the lives of so many people, both through his clinical work and as a colleague and friend to many. "It is hard to accept that a man with such a passion for life, and his beautiful young family, have been taken in this way. His passing has left a profound void, not only in his professional contributions but in the warmth and spirit that he gave to the world every day." Royal Derby Hospital described Dr Joshi as 'not only an excellent doctor for whom nothing was too much trouble, but also a warm, smiling and kind man who was a hugely liked and valued member of the team'. Stephen Posey, Chief Executive, added: "We are profoundly and deeply saddened at the loss of our dedicated and talented colleague, Dr Prateek Joshi and his family. Prateek was not only an excellent doctor for whom nothing was too much trouble, but also a warm, smiling and kind man who was a hugely liked and valued member of the team. "We are privileged that Prateek chose to give his skills, talent and knowledge to the NHS, and he will be sorely missed by everyone who had the pleasure of working with him." The NHS statement concluded: "Our thoughts are with Dr Joshi's family, friends and colleagues, and everyone who has been impacted by this tragedy, which is being felt across the world and within our local communities."
