Ahmedabad plane crash: India launches investigation into tragedy
[Editor's Note: Follow KT's live blog for all the latest updates on the Ahmedabad plane crash.]
India's aviation minister said Thursday a formal investigation had been opened into the cause of the deadly air crash of a London-bound Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner that killed at least 260 people.
"Following the tragic incident in Ahmedabad, a formal investigation has been initiated by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB)," Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu said in a statement, saying the government probe followed protocols set by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).
At the crash site, search teams worked into the early hours of Friday scouring the wreckage for clues — as well as to locate the black box flight recorders, which should provide information on the plane's final moments.
Air India said the passengers included 169 Indians, 53 Britons, seven Portuguese nationals and a Canadian. Two pilots and 10 cabin crew were also aboard.
Police said at least 260 people had been killed, including 19 people on the ground, but one passenger is believed to have survived.
UK, US offer help
The UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) has formally offered to help India. Investigators with the US National Transportation Safety Board will also assist on site.
US planemaker Boeing said it was ready to support Air India and was "working to gather more information" on the incident.
New Delhi's government said it was also setting up "a high-level committee comprising experts from multiple disciplines to examine the matter" and to "work to strengthen aviation safety and prevent such incidents in future", Kinjarapu added.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Filipino Times
4 hours ago
- Filipino Times
Passenger says he flew on Air India plane before crash, reports problems onboard
A man has claimed that he flew on the same Air India aircraft just two hours before it crashed, killing over 240 people. Akash Vatsa, an entrepreneur, said he took the Delhi to Ahmedabad flight on the Boeing 787-8 before it was used for the London-bound flight that later crashed. Vatsa posted on X (formerly Twitter), 'I was in the same d**n flight 2 hours before it took off from AMD. I came in this from DEL-AMD. Noticed unusual things in the place. Made a video to tweet to @airindia. I would want to give more details.' He also shared videos from inside the aircraft, showing issues like a broken air-conditioning system and non-working entertainment screens. 'AC is not working at all. And as usual, the TV screens are not working. Not even the light is working,' he said in one clip. I was in the same damn flight 2 hours before it took off from AMD. I came in this from DEL-AMD. Noticed unusual things in the a video to tweet to @airindia i would want to give more details. Please contact me. @flyingbeast320 @aajtak @ndtv @Boeing_In #planecrash #AI171 — Akash Vatsa (@akku92) June 12, 2025 Some netizens think it was fake. Vatsa then posted a photo of his boarding pass to prove it was true. 'People who wanted to check the credibility, here's my boarding pass. Man, why would I firstly record [a] video of the same plane and then post it?' Vasta captioned his post. 🙏❤️🧿JAI SHREE RADHEY KRISHNA JI🧿❤️🙏 People who wanted to check the credibility. Here's my boarding pass. Man, why would I firstly record video of the same plane and then post it? There's are negative people are around. — Akash Vatsa (@akku92) June 12, 2025 Vasta's post has since gone viral, reaching 112,000 likes, 28,000 retweets, and 4,900 comments. In a follow-up, Vatsa said he chose not to take another Air India flight that night. Air India has not yet responded to the claims.
Gulf Today
6 hours ago
- Gulf Today
Air India plane crashes into intern doctors' hostel
An Air India flight AI-171 travelling from Ahmedabad to London's Gatwick Airport crashed just minutes after takeoff on Thursday, prompting the closure of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport for all operations. The plan crashed into a residential hostel for intern doctors shortly after takeoff, igniting a massive blaze and leaving a trail of destruction. More than eight people are suspected dead, with dozens more injured or missing. According to preliminary reports, the aircraft's wing clipped the third, fourth and fifth floors of the multi-storey hostel building near Meghani Nagar. The impact caused a catastrophic fire that rapidly engulfed the structure, home to more than 50 people, including young medical interns and their families. The fire's intensity left several trapped inside and forced others to leap from the upper floors in a desperate attempt to escape. This photo shared by India's Central Industrial Security Force shows debris of Air India plane that crashed in Ahmedabad, Gujarat state, on Thursday. AP Eyewitnesses described scenes of panic and heartbreak. "A man threw his child down from the fourth floor hoping to save her life," one local resident said. A woman who jumped from the same floor suffered critical injuries. Multiple residents were seen jumping from windows as the fire raged through the building. While official casualty figures are awaited, sources suggest that more than eight to nine people may have died as the Air India plane crashed into the intern doctors' hostel. In disturbing twist, authorities reported incidents of theft during rescue operations. Safes and personal belongings inside the hostel were found ransacked, with cash, jewellery and mobile phones allegedly stolen by individuals posing as volunteers. This has sparked outrage among citizens and officials alike. Meanwhile, the Airport Authority has recovered the aircraft's black box, a critical component that records flight data and cockpit communication. It will be crucial in piecing together the exact chain of events that led to the crash. Early reports suggest a possible double engine failure due to bird hits shortly after takeoff, though this is yet to be confirmed by investigators. Relief operations continued late into Thursday evening, with fire brigades, NDRF teams, and emergency responders working tirelessly at the crash site. The severely damaged building is said to be at risk of collapse, further complicating rescue efforts. Further updates are awaited as investigation and rescue operations continue. Indo-Asian News Service
Dubai Eye
10 hours ago
- Dubai Eye
Air India crash survivor says he escaped through broken emergency exit
The sole survivor of the Air India plane crash that killed more than 240 people said he walked out of a broken emergency exit after the aircraft hit a medical college hostel in the city of Ahmedabad. Ramesh Viswashkumar, who police said was on seat 11A near the emergency exit and managed to escape through the broken hatch, was filmed after Thursday's crash limping on the street in a blood-stained T-shirt with bruises on his face. That social media footage of the British national of Indian origin was broadcast on nearly all of India's news channels after the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner plummeted soon after take-off and erupted in a ball of fire. It was the worst aviation disaster in a decade. "I don't believe how I survived. For some time I thought I was also going to die," 40-year-old Viswashkumar told Indian state broadcaster DD News from his hospital bed on Friday. "But when I opened my eyes, I realised I was alive and I tried to unbuckle myself from the seat and escape from where I could". Police said some people at the hostel and others on the ground were also killed in the crash. Rescue workers were searching for remains and aircraft parts in the charred buildings of the hostel on Friday. Viswashkumar said the plane appeared to come to a standstill in midair for a few seconds shortly after take-off and the green and white cabin lights were turned on. He said he could feel the engine thrust increasing but then the plane "crashed with speed into the hostel". Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who arrived in his home state of Gujarat to visit the crash site, also met Viswashkumar in the hospital on Friday. Doctors told local media that he did not sustain any major injuries. "The side of the plane I was in landed on the ground, and I could see that there was space outside the aircraft, so when my door broke I tried to escape through it and I did," Viswashkumar said. "The opposite side of the aircraft was blocked by the building wall so nobody could have come out of there." Viswashkumar said he walked out of the crash site with only burn injuries on his left arm.
