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Saturday, Jun 14, 2025
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Air India Plane Crash Claims More than 240 Lives in Ahmedabad
A Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashes moments after takeoff, leaving one known survivor and prompting a multi-nation investigation.
An Air India plane, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, crashed shortly after takeoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad, India, resulting in more than 240 fatalities.
The aircraft, which was carrying 242 people, was en route to Gatwick Airport in London when it went down on Thursday night AEST, marking it as one of the deadliest aviation disasters in a decade.
The sole survivor of the crash, a British national of Indian descent, is currently hospitalized and has described hearing a loud sound shortly after Flight AI171 departed at 1:39 PM local time.
Authorities confirmed he was seated next to an emergency exit and that more survivors might be hospitalized.
Vidhi Chaudhary, a senior police officer, stated that the exact number of casualties is still being verified, with the death toll potentially exceeding 240.
This figure has been adjusted from an earlier estimate of 294, with uncertainty remaining over how many of the deceased were on the aircraft versus those on the ground.
CCTV footage has shown the aircraft taking off over a residential area before disappearing from view, followed by a significant fireball that could be seen rising from the crash site.
The aircraft issued a Mayday call, indicating an emergency situation; however, communication ceased immediately afterward.
Witness accounts suggest the emergency unfolded rapidly.
Ramesh Viswashkumar, the survivor, recounted being overwhelmed by panic amidst the wreckage, describing a scene filled with bodies and debris shortly after the crash occurred.
Among those confirmed dead is Vijay Rupani, a former chief minister of Gujarat.
Recovery efforts at the crash site revealed parts of the aircraft’s fuselage scattered around the smoldering building that it struck.
The passengers included 217 adults, 11 children, and two infants, with a diverse demographic represented among them: 169 Indian nationals, 53 Britons, seven Portuguese individuals, and one Canadian.
This aircraft had entered commercial service in 2011, with the specific plane involved in the crash being delivered to Air India in January 2014 after its initial flight in 2013. The incident marks the first crash of the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner model according to available aviation safety records.
India's Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu stated that a formal investigation has commenced, led by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau.
A high-level committee will be formed to examine the details surrounding the disaster.
Responses to the tragedy have been widespread.
Boeing’s CEO has offered support to Air India, while the U.S. Transportation Secretary confirmed the Federal Aviation Administration’s involvement in the investigation alongside Boeing and GE Aerospace.
The UK government is also collaborating with Indian authorities to ascertain details related to the crash and assist affected individuals.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences, calling the incident "heartbreaking beyond words," while UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and U.S. President Donald Trump have conveyed their shock and sympathy regarding the disaster.
The aircraft, which was carrying 242 people, was en route to Gatwick Airport in London when it went down on Thursday night AEST, marking it as one of the deadliest aviation disasters in a decade.
The sole survivor of the crash, a British national of Indian descent, is currently hospitalized and has described hearing a loud sound shortly after Flight AI171 departed at 1:39 PM local time.
Authorities confirmed he was seated next to an emergency exit and that more survivors might be hospitalized.
Vidhi Chaudhary, a senior police officer, stated that the exact number of casualties is still being verified, with the death toll potentially exceeding 240.
This figure has been adjusted from an earlier estimate of 294, with uncertainty remaining over how many of the deceased were on the aircraft versus those on the ground.
CCTV footage has shown the aircraft taking off over a residential area before disappearing from view, followed by a significant fireball that could be seen rising from the crash site.
The aircraft issued a Mayday call, indicating an emergency situation; however, communication ceased immediately afterward.
Witness accounts suggest the emergency unfolded rapidly.
Ramesh Viswashkumar, the survivor, recounted being overwhelmed by panic amidst the wreckage, describing a scene filled with bodies and debris shortly after the crash occurred.
Among those confirmed dead is Vijay Rupani, a former chief minister of Gujarat.
Recovery efforts at the crash site revealed parts of the aircraft’s fuselage scattered around the smoldering building that it struck.
The passengers included 217 adults, 11 children, and two infants, with a diverse demographic represented among them: 169 Indian nationals, 53 Britons, seven Portuguese individuals, and one Canadian.
This aircraft had entered commercial service in 2011, with the specific plane involved in the crash being delivered to Air India in January 2014 after its initial flight in 2013. The incident marks the first crash of the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner model according to available aviation safety records.
India's Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu stated that a formal investigation has commenced, led by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau.
A high-level committee will be formed to examine the details surrounding the disaster.
Responses to the tragedy have been widespread.
Boeing’s CEO has offered support to Air India, while the U.S. Transportation Secretary confirmed the Federal Aviation Administration’s involvement in the investigation alongside Boeing and GE Aerospace.
The UK government is also collaborating with Indian authorities to ascertain details related to the crash and assist affected individuals.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences, calling the incident "heartbreaking beyond words," while UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and U.S. President Donald Trump have conveyed their shock and sympathy regarding the disaster.
