By FAA-Wikipedia
A London-bound Air India passenger jet carrying 242 people crashed on Thursday, June 12, shortly after takeoff from the western Indian city of Ahmedabad, in what aviation authorities and the airline have described as a “tragic accident.”
Flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner en route to London Gatwick, went down just outside the airport perimeter, according to officials from India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). The crash, which sent plumes of thick black smoke billowing over the city, occurred shortly after a mayday call was issued, an aviation ministry spokesperson confirmed.
The aircraft was carrying 242 individuals, including two pilots and ten cabin crew members. Passenger nationalities, according to Air India, included 169 Indian nationals, 53 British, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian.
India’s Aviation Minister, Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu, said he was “shocked and devastated” by the incident. He directed all aviation and emergency response agencies to act in a “swift and coordinated” manner. “Rescue teams have been mobilized, and all efforts are being made to ensure medical aid and relief support are being rushed to the site,” he said. “My thoughts and prayers are with all those on board and their families.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his sorrow in a message posted on social media platform X, calling the crash “heartbreaking beyond words.” He added, “In this sad hour, my thoughts are with everyone affected by it. I have been in touch with ministers and authorities who are working to assist those affected.”
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer also responded to the tragedy, calling the scenes from Ahmedabad “devastating.” He offered support and condolences to the victims’ families and friends “at this deeply distressing time.”
Air India confirmed the accident in a formal statement. “With profound sorrow, I confirm that Air India Flight 171 operating from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick was involved in a tragic accident today,” said Natarajan Chandrasekaran, Chairman of Air India. “Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with the families and loved ones of all those affected by this devastating event.”
Chandrasekaran added that an emergency response center had been activated and a support team deployed to assist families seeking information.
The airport in Ahmedabad—a city of eight million and the capital of Gujarat state—was immediately shut down, with all flights suspended “until further notice,” according to the airport operator. The airport is surrounded by densely populated residential neighborhoods, adding to the urgency and complexity of the rescue operation.
The DGCA confirmed that the aircraft crashed just outside the airport’s boundary shortly after takeoff, and that the flight crew had issued a distress signal. Emergency and medical personnel were seen responding to the area, though full details on casualties and survivors had not yet been disclosed as of Thursday evening.
India has a troubling history of fatal air accidents. In 1996, nearly 350 people were killed when two jets collided mid-air over New Delhi in one of the world’s deadliest aviation disasters. In 2010, an Air India Express aircraft crashed at Mangalore airport, killing 158 of the 166 on board. The country also still bears the scars of the 1985 bombing of Air India Flight 182, which exploded off the coast of Ireland with 329 people on board, after a bomb planted by Sikh militants detonated mid-flight.
As the world reacts to this latest catastrophe, the aviation community and governments across the globe are closely monitoring the investigation, which is expected to be complex and far-reaching.
