An Air India passenger plane with 242 people on board crashed near the Meghaninagar area of Ahmedabad on Thursday, police said.The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner was headed to London with 230 passengers and 12 crew members. According to police sources, the aircraft crashed shortly after taking off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at around 2 PM.This is what we know so far about the crash:The London-bound Flight AI171 went down shortly after takeoff, with police fearing “several casualties”. Many of the injured have been taken to the city’s civil hospital.As of writing this report, at least 60 bodies have been recovered from the crash site, and emergency operations are still ongoing.The plane crashed near a medical students’ hostel and canteen. The fire at the canteen has been brought under control and round 10 bodies were recovered from that area. Twenty students from the hostel have been admitted to a nearby hospital.Among the ill-fated passengers were 169 Indians, 53 British nationals, 1 Canadian, and 7 Portuguese citizens.Thick black smoke was seen rising from the crash site near Forensic Cross Road. Visuals from the ground showed extensive wreckage and flames. Firefighters and rescue teams are carrying out evacuation and containment efforts.#Gujarat An aircraft has crashed near Forensic Cross Road in Meghaninagar, Ahmedabad, Gujarat. Police and fire brigade teams are rushing to the scene at IGB Ground. More details awaited.@NewIndianXpress @santwana99 @jayanthjacob #Ahmedabad #PlaneCrash #BreakingNews pic.twitter.com/VUGKJ4psgv— Dilip Kshatriya (@Kshatriyadilip) June 12, 2025
The flight was operated by Capt. Sumeet Sabharwal, a senior pilot with 8,200 flying hours, and First Officer Clive Kundar, who had logged 1,100 hours.Following the crash of Flight AI 171 from Ahmedabad to London, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport shut down operations.All flight operations are temporarily suspended until further notice, according to information from the airport spokesperson.LIVE | AI-171 flight to London with 242 onboard crashes near Ahmedabad airport; at least 60 charred bodies recovered The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said the aircraft took off at 13:39 IST and issued a “MAYDAY” call before losing contact. The plane crashed just outside the airport perimeter after reaching an altitude of about 825 feet.According to reports, former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani was initially listed among the passengers. However, sources close to him told TNIE he was not on board and had taken a different flight.Reacting to the crash, Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu said he was “shocked and devastated” and is personally monitoring the situation.“All efforts are being made to ensure medical aid and relief support are rushed to the site.”Deputy Commissioner of Police Kanan Desai said casualty assessment is ongoing. Fire officer Jayesh Khadia confirmed that several fire tenders were deployed to bring the blaze under control.“Flight AI171, operating Ahmedabad-London Gatwick, was involved in an incident today, 12 June 2025… We are ascertaining the details and will share further updates at the earliest,” an Air India statement read.Tata Group Chairman N. Chandrasekaran said on X: “With profound sorrow I confirm that Air India Flight 171… was involved in a tragic accident… Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with the families… An emergency centre has been activated.”Following the incident, Air India issued a dedicated passenger hotline – 1800 5691 444 – to provide information about the crash. Ahmedabad City Police also released an emergency helpline – 079-25620359 – for updates and assistance.This is a developing story; further details are awaited.
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