242 Dead as Air India Jet Crashes After Takeoff in Ahmedabad
An Air India flight bound for London crashed just minutes after taking off from Ahmedabad, killing all 242 people onboard, on June 12. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner struck a residential building, destroying part of a hostel near BJ Medical College.
Flight AI171 left Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at approximately 1:38 p.m. local time. Shortly after takeoff, the pilots issued a distress call. Moments later, the aircraft disappeared from radar and crashed into the BJ Medical College campus in Meghani Nagar. The impact caused a fire that quickly spread, filling the area with smoke.
The crash killed 230 passengers and 12 crew members. Most passengers were from India and the United Kingdom, while others came from Portugal and Canada. Officials also confirmed deaths and injuries among people on the ground.
Key information:
- Route: Ahmedabad to London Gatwick
- Aircraft: Boeing 787 Dreamliner (VT‑ANB)
- Fatalities: 242 onboard; passenger nationalities included 169 Indians, 53 Britons, 7 Portuguese, 1 Canadian
- Crash site: BJ Medical College campus, Ahmedabad
- Crew: Capt. Sumeet Sabharwal and First Officer Clive Kundar
- Ground casualties: Confirmed among hostel residents
Rescue crews responded immediately. They recovered bodies and worked to control the fire. The airport paused all flights during the emergency response. Currently, India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation and the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau are investigating the cause of the crash. Air India, Boeing, and GE Aerospace are also part of the inquiry.
“This was a tragic and terrible incident,” said a rescue official. “We are doing all we can to support the families affected.”
This marks the first fatal crash involving a Boeing 787 since the model began commercial flights in 2011. Both the Indian and UK governments have extended their condolences to the families of the victims.
More…
- https://people.com/london-bound-passenger-plane-crashes-shortly-after-take-off-india-11753116
- https://indiatimes.com/news/ahmedabad-air-india-flight-with-242-onboard-crashes-minutes-after-take-off-thick-smoke-engulfs-city-as-rescue-ops-begin-660944.html
- https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jun/12/air-india-flight-171-plane-crash-what-we-know-ahmedabad-gatwick
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