|
|
|
|
|
13 June 2025
|
Air India Boeing 787-8 crashes in Ahmedabad with 242 people onboard; one survivor
|
|
|
|
|
|
More than 240 people were killed when an Air India plane bound for London crashed moments after taking off from the city of Ahmedabad, authorities said, in the world's worst aviation disaster in a decade. Air India Flight 171 was a scheduled international passenger flight operated by Air India from Ahmedabad Airport in India to London Gatwick Airport in the United Kingdom. On 12 June 2025, at 13:38 IST, the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner operating the flight crashed, approximately 30 seconds after takeoff, into the hostel block of BJ Medical College in the Meghaninagar neighbourhood of Ahmedabad in India.
The aircraft was carrying 230 passengers and 12 crew members. With at least 269 people dead, including 241 people on the flight and at least 28 people on the ground and a single passenger surviving the accident, Air India Flight 171 is the deadliest commercial aviation disaster since the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 in 2014. This accident is the first fatal crash and hull loss involving the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
The sole survivor is a British national of Indian origin who is being treated in a hospital, the airline confirmed.
Passengers and crew
The flight was carrying 242 people — 230 passengers, including 11 children and two infants, along with two pilots and 10 flight attendants, according to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and Air India. The passenger manifest included 169 Indians, 53 British, 7 Portuguese and a Canadian national. The flight was commanded by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal and First Officer Clive Kundar.
Flight 171 took off from runway 23 of Ahmedabad Airport at 13:38 local time (IST; 08:08 UTC) en route to London Gatwick. According to METAR reports, the weather was stable and the visibility was clear.
The ADS-B transponder of the aircraft reported a maximum altitude of 625 feet (191 m). Transponder reception was lost at 08:08:50 UTC at around 230 feet (70 m), before the threshold of runway 05 had been crossed. The flight crew issued a mayday call to air traffic control in Ahmedabad.
The crash happened during the aircraft's initial climb phase. A video of the incident showed the aircraft initially gaining altitude before gradually descending and, just out of line-of-sight, crashing in a plume of fire and smoke just over 30 seconds after lifting off from the runway.
Eyewitnesses from the Meghaninagar area reported hearing multiple explosions, followed by thick plumes of smoke visible from nearby locations as the aircraft hit a building and slid. The plane crashed into students' hostel buildings of B. J. Medical College located in Civil Hospital campus. The aircraft's partially intact stabilisers and tail cone rested on top of a multi-storey building after the accident. There were several explosions immediately after the crash.
Rescue and relief operation
The Ahmedabad Fire and Emergency Services Department confirmed the deployment of units from various city divisions. The first call to the control room was received on 13:45 IST. Two firefighter teams were sent immediately from Naroda GIDC and the "brigade call" was issued. Along with fire office staff of more than 15 people, total 337 firemen, 60 fire vehicles and 20 water bowsers were deployed. Multiple ambulances including 20 ambulances from the fire department were rushed to the location. All roads leading to the crash site and surrounding areas were closed to facilitate rescue operations. Twenty fire vehicles were sent from Vadodara. The teams from Gandhinagar Fire Department, ONGC, GIFT City and Civil Defence also participated in the operation.
The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), responsible for security at Ahmedabad Airport, were among the first responders. Two Border Security Force (BSF) teams were deployed. Around 130 personnel of the Indian Army were deployed to assist in clearing debris and treating the injured. A military hospital was put on standby to assist efforts. The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) deployed around 150 personnel while the three National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams comprising 90 people were mobilised for the rescue operations. The Western Railway provided Disaster Management Team, Railway Protection Force staff along with hospital team of six doctors, 20 personnel and seven ambulances.
The fire was put under control within an hour but the rescue operation was continued for another five hours. The Central Workshop of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) employed 159 vehicles, 15 earthmovers, five excavators, 25 trucks and one roller to clear the debris from the site. The AMC also called in 130 engineers, more than 100 personnel from its health department for the relief operation and ordered the emergency readiness of the municipal hospitals. Shortly after the crash, all flight operations at the airport were suspended[35] before resuming later in the day with a limited capacity.
Victims
According to senior police official Vishaka Dabral, at least 269 bodies were brought to the Civil Hospital, 241 people on board the aircraft and at least 28 people on the ground were killed. Among the victims was Vijay Rupani, the Chief Minister of Gujarat from 2016 to 2021. At least 50 medical students in a hostel hit by the aircraft were hospitalised, and 41 people were injured. By 13 June, police officials told BBC News that six bodies have been released to their families.
A 40-year-old British national escaped and was the sole survivor from the plane. He had been in seat 11A, next to an emergency exit. Doctors treating him said that he was in a disoriented condition with multiple injuries but was no longer in danger. His brother, who was also on the flight, did not survive.
Sources: SBS News, Reuters, CNN, Sky and various others
The aircraft was carrying 230 passengers and 12 crew members. With at least 269 people dead, including 241 people on the flight and at least 28 people on the ground and a single passenger surviving the accident, Air India Flight 171 is the deadliest commercial aviation disaster since the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 in 2014. This accident is the first fatal crash and hull loss involving the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
The sole survivor is a British national of Indian origin who is being treated in a hospital, the airline confirmed.
Passengers and crew
The flight was carrying 242 people — 230 passengers, including 11 children and two infants, along with two pilots and 10 flight attendants, according to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and Air India. The passenger manifest included 169 Indians, 53 British, 7 Portuguese and a Canadian national. The flight was commanded by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal and First Officer Clive Kundar.
Flight 171 took off from runway 23 of Ahmedabad Airport at 13:38 local time (IST; 08:08 UTC) en route to London Gatwick. According to METAR reports, the weather was stable and the visibility was clear.
The ADS-B transponder of the aircraft reported a maximum altitude of 625 feet (191 m). Transponder reception was lost at 08:08:50 UTC at around 230 feet (70 m), before the threshold of runway 05 had been crossed. The flight crew issued a mayday call to air traffic control in Ahmedabad.
The crash happened during the aircraft's initial climb phase. A video of the incident showed the aircraft initially gaining altitude before gradually descending and, just out of line-of-sight, crashing in a plume of fire and smoke just over 30 seconds after lifting off from the runway.
Eyewitnesses from the Meghaninagar area reported hearing multiple explosions, followed by thick plumes of smoke visible from nearby locations as the aircraft hit a building and slid. The plane crashed into students' hostel buildings of B. J. Medical College located in Civil Hospital campus. The aircraft's partially intact stabilisers and tail cone rested on top of a multi-storey building after the accident. There were several explosions immediately after the crash.
Rescue and relief operation
The Ahmedabad Fire and Emergency Services Department confirmed the deployment of units from various city divisions. The first call to the control room was received on 13:45 IST. Two firefighter teams were sent immediately from Naroda GIDC and the "brigade call" was issued. Along with fire office staff of more than 15 people, total 337 firemen, 60 fire vehicles and 20 water bowsers were deployed. Multiple ambulances including 20 ambulances from the fire department were rushed to the location. All roads leading to the crash site and surrounding areas were closed to facilitate rescue operations. Twenty fire vehicles were sent from Vadodara. The teams from Gandhinagar Fire Department, ONGC, GIFT City and Civil Defence also participated in the operation.
The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), responsible for security at Ahmedabad Airport, were among the first responders. Two Border Security Force (BSF) teams were deployed. Around 130 personnel of the Indian Army were deployed to assist in clearing debris and treating the injured. A military hospital was put on standby to assist efforts. The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) deployed around 150 personnel while the three National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams comprising 90 people were mobilised for the rescue operations. The Western Railway provided Disaster Management Team, Railway Protection Force staff along with hospital team of six doctors, 20 personnel and seven ambulances.
The fire was put under control within an hour but the rescue operation was continued for another five hours. The Central Workshop of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) employed 159 vehicles, 15 earthmovers, five excavators, 25 trucks and one roller to clear the debris from the site. The AMC also called in 130 engineers, more than 100 personnel from its health department for the relief operation and ordered the emergency readiness of the municipal hospitals. Shortly after the crash, all flight operations at the airport were suspended[35] before resuming later in the day with a limited capacity.
Victims
According to senior police official Vishaka Dabral, at least 269 bodies were brought to the Civil Hospital, 241 people on board the aircraft and at least 28 people on the ground were killed. Among the victims was Vijay Rupani, the Chief Minister of Gujarat from 2016 to 2021. At least 50 medical students in a hostel hit by the aircraft were hospitalised, and 41 people were injured. By 13 June, police officials told BBC News that six bodies have been released to their families.
A 40-year-old British national escaped and was the sole survivor from the plane. He had been in seat 11A, next to an emergency exit. Doctors treating him said that he was in a disoriented condition with multiple injuries but was no longer in danger. His brother, who was also on the flight, did not survive.
Sources: SBS News, Reuters, CNN, Sky and various others
