Ahmedabad plane crash: Air India's Boeing 787 with 242 on board crashes minutes after takeoff from Ahmedabad airport; 1 survivor

Indian Express

20 hours ago

Air India Ahmedabad Airport Plane Crash Updates: In the world's worst aviation disaster in a decade and the first involving a Boeing 787, a London-bound Air India passenger aircraft with 242 people on board crashed in a residential area shortly after take-off from the Ahmedabad airport Thursday afternoon.
At least one person, a male passenger, had survived the crash, according to Ahmedabad Police Commissioner Gyanender Singh Malik. The survivor was identified as Viswashkumar Ramesh who was on seat 11A of Flight AI-171 from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick.
Former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani was among the 230 passengers on board. Air India said the passengers comprised 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, 1 Canadian national and 7 Portuguese nationals.
The wide-bodied Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, bearing the registration VT-ANB, was being operated by a 12-member crew. It was being piloted by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal and First Officer Clive Kundar.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who inspected the crash site, told reporters that the death toll 'would be officially declared by the authorities concerned following DNA examination and identification of the passengers'. He said 'we have news of one passenger surviving, I have just met him'.
There were 24 casualties on the ground too because the aircraft went down on the premises of the BJ Medical College in the densely-populated Meghaninagar area, shortly after it took off at 1.39 pm from Runway 23 of the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport.
At least five persons, including four medical students, were killed when the plane crashed into a hostel building of the medical college. Dr Minakshi Parikh, Dean, B J Medical College, said two more students were missing, while another 20 were injured. Five of the injured students were in a 'serious' condition, she said.
The crash took place shortly after the Captain of the flight put out a Mayday distress call to Air Traffic Control. Communication was lost thereafter.
According to officials, the flight 'crashed immediately after take-off and went up in flames'. Senior officials of Ahmedabad city police said the first responders had to deal with flames and billowing black smoke.
'Teams of the fire service department, police and corporation rushed to the spot to launch rescue operations. The exact number of casualties are not yet known but several charred bodies have been retrieved and injured people rushed to the civil hospital… The injured have serious burns… The plane had just taken off with a full fuel tank and this caused a massive explosion,' a senior police officer said.
At least six teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) were rushed to the crash spot to join the rescue operations.
President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and leaders of different political parties expressed shock and grief over the crash.
President Murmu, who called the crash 'a heart-rending disaster', said the nation was with the affected people 'in this hour of indescribable grief'.
Dhankhar said the crash had left the nation dealing with 'a devastating human tragedy'.
Modi said, 'The tragedy in Ahmedabad has stunned and saddened us. 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.'
Civil Aviation Minister K Ram Mohan Naidu, who too reached Ahmedabad to take stock of the situation, assured a fair and thorough investigation into the incident.
Later, in a post on X, he said, 'Following the tragic incident in Ahmedabad, a formal investigation has been initiated by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), in line with international protocols set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).'
Additionally, the government was constituting a high-level committee comprising experts from multiple disciplines to examine the matter in detail and strengthen aviation safety and prevent such incidents in future, he said.
Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, who was in Surat, rushed to Ahmedabad on learning about the crash while Gujarat BJP president and Union Jal Shakti Minister C R Paatil called off his visit to Vadodara to rush to Ahmedabad.
According to available flight data, the aircraft had taken off to a barometric altitude of 625 feet and then descended vertically, crashing into the residential area within minutes.
A statement from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said, 'On 12th June, 2025, M/s Air India B787 Aircraft VT-ANB while operating flight AI-171 from (Ahmedabad to Gatwick) crashed immediately after takeoff from Ahmedabad. There were 242 people on board the aircraft consisting of 2 pilots and 10 cabin crew. The aircraft was under the command of Capt Sumeet Sabharwal with First Officer Clive Kundar. Capt Sumeet Sabharwal is a LTC with 8200 Hrs of experience. The co-pilot had 1100 Hrs of flying experience.'
'As per ATC, aircraft departed from Ahmedabad 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 calls made by ATC. Aircraft, immediately after departure from Runway 23, fell on ground outside the airport perimeter. Heavy black smoke was seen coming from the accident site,' the DGCA said.
N Chandrasekaran, Chairman, Air India, 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,' he said.
Following the crash, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport announced operational closure until further notice. A statement from SVPIA said, 'Flight AI 171 from Ahmedabad to London, Gatwick, earlier today, was involved in a crash shortly after takeoff, outside the airport. As a result, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, Ahmedabad, is currently not operational. 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.'