A London-bound Air India plane carrying 242 passengers and crew crashed into a residential area (Meghani nagar) moments after taking off at 1:38 p.m. from the Ahmedabad airport on Thursday (June 12, 2025) afternoon. Several casualties are feared. The Air India flight was a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner twin jet carrying a total of 230 passengers and 12 crew members with Pilot in Command Sumit Sabharwal and co-Pilot Clive Kunder.
The flight, which departed from Ahmedabad at 1338 hrs, was carrying 242 passengers and crew members on board the Boeing 787-8 aircraft. Of these, 169 are Indian nationals, 53 are British nationals, 1 Canadian national and 7 Portuguese nationals. According to the Police Control room, the Air India Flight AI 171 was bound for London. “On 12th Jun, 2025, M/s Air India B787 Aircraft VT-ANB, while operating flight AI-171 from Ahmedabad to Gatwick, has crashed immediately after take-off from Ahmedabad.
What we know about the Flight 93 crash
Ahmedabad’s airport is no longer open for business. Until further notice, all flight operations have been briefly stopped. Fire departments and ambulances were among the first to arrive at the scene of the crash.
The first pictures that the news service sent out to PTI showed thick black smoke rising into the sky from what looked like the airport’s perimeter, which meant there was a big fire after the hit.
A Boeing 787 Dreamliner was in charge of the flight, which was supposed to go from Ahmedabad to Gatwick, London. As of now, public information has not been released about the number of people on board, those who died, or those who are still alive.
After the Air India flight crash in Ahmedabad, Prime Minister Narendra Modi talked to Civil Aviation Minister Rammohan Naidu in person on Thursday to get a sense of what was going on.
A release from the Office of the Minister of Civil Aviation (HMCA) says that the Minister told the Prime Minister that he was on his way to Ahmedabad right away to oversee the rescue and relief efforts personally.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has talked to Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, the state’s home minister, and the police commissioner of Ahmedabad. He assured them that the Central government would fully back efforts to save lives and help those in need.
The aviation authority confirmed a distress signal was issued a chilling Mayday followed by an unsettling silence on the radio:
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said that Air India flight AI-171, which was going to London and had 242 people on board, crashed soon after taking off from Ahmedabad.
At 1:39 pm IST (8:09 UTC), the Boeing 787 with the tail number VT-ANB took off from Runway 23. Air traffic control said they got a “Mayday” call from the plane before they could no longer talk to it. The aircraft crashed outside the airport right after take-off, and thick black smoke could be seen rising from the scene of the accident, the DGCA said.
A licensed type commander with 8,200 hours of experience led the flight, along with a first officer with 1,100 hours of experience, Capt. Sumeet Sabharwal. The crash is still being looked into.
Here’s all we know so far
There were 242 people on board, including two pilots and 10 cabin crew.
The aircraft involved is a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner with registration VT-ANB.
As per ATC, the aircraft departed from Ahmadabad at 1:39 pm from runway 23.
Aircraft immediately after departure from Runway 23, fell on the ground outside the airport perimeter.
It gave a MAYDAY Call to ATC, but thereafter, no response was given by the aircraft to the calls made by ATC.
The plane crashed into a medical college hospital hostel.
Former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani was onboarding the plane.
Injured passengers have been rushed to the hospital.
Minister of Civil Aviation, Rammohan Naidu, who was in Vijayawada, rushed to Ahmedabad immediately.
London Gatwick Airport issued a statement saying it confirms that flight AI171 that crashed on departure from Ahmedabad Airport today.
All flight operations have been halted from the Ahmedabad Airport.
PM Modi spoke to HM Amit Shah and Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu.
The plane had 169 Indians, 53 British, one Canadian and seven Portuguese passengers.
Tata Group Chairman N Chandrasekaran says doing everything in power to assist emergency response teams.
Boeing says it has taken note of initial reports of the crash.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has spoken to the Gujarat Chief Minister, Home Minister and the Police Commissioner regarding the plane crash. He also assured to provide Central government assistance.
PM Modi speaks to Civil Aviation Minister
Prime Minister Modi talks to Minister of Civil Aviation Rammohan Naidu, who is the Minister of Civil Aviation. They talked about the Air India flight crash in Ahmedabad. The Minister told the Prime Minister that he was on his way to Ahmedabad right away to handle rescue and relief efforts there. The Prime Minister said the Minister to make sure that all the help that is needed is given right away and asked to be kept up to date on the situation on a daily basis. The Office of Rammohan Naidu says that all relevant agencies are on high watch and that coordinated efforts are being made.
Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel tells officials to start rescue and aid work right away
“I am deeply saddened by the event of the Air India passenger plane crash in Ahmedabad,” Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel said. I told the officials to do rescue and relief work right away and make sure that the injured passengers get medical care right away on a war basis. I also told them to set up a green corridor so that injured people can get to the hospital for treatment and to make sure that all of the plans for treatment in the hospital are made as soon as possible. Amit Shah, the Union Home Minister, has also talked to me and promised to assist me fully.
