Air India flight, a Boeing Dreamliner, was bound for London and the incident took place shortly after takeoff at the Ahmedabad airport
OdishaPlus Bureau
On June 12, 2025, Air India Flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner bound for London, crashed shortly after takeoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport (SVPIA) in Ahmedabad. The flight carried 242 people, including 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, 1 Canadian, 7 Portuguese, 2 pilots, and 10 cabin crew. The crash occurred in a densely populated area near the airport, specifically at a doctors’ hostel, making it one of India’s deadliest air disasters in nearly three decades.
Local residents and emergency services, including police and fire brigades, responded within minutes. Around 70-80% of the crash site was cleared initially, with ambulances rushing to the Civil Hospital. Relief and rescue operations are ongoing, with disaster response forces deployed.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed shock, spoke with Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu, and assured full support. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, en route to Ahmedabad, promised central government assistance after discussions with Gujarat’s Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and other officials.
British PM Keir Starmer and London Mayor Sadiq Khan expressed sorrow, noting many British nationals were on board. Airport Status: Flight operations at SVPIA were temporarily suspended.
A control room has been set up at Gujarat’s State Emergency Operation Centre to assist families, and Air India provided a hotline (1800 5691 444) for information.
Former Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani was reportedly on board. Some X posts speculated about sabotage due to the presence of VIPs and the timing before PM Modi’s G7 summit trip, but no official confirmation supports this.
The pilots issued a mayday call before the crash. Visuals on social media showed thick smoke and dust at the site. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) confirmed the crash occurred immediately after takeoff.
