Air India flight to London with 242 passengers on board crashes in Ahmedabad

An Air India passenger plane with 242 people on board has crashed in Ahmedabad, the main city of India’s western Gujarat state, according to multiple media reports citing the state police.

According to the report, the flight AI171 was taking off from Ahmedabad to London’s Gatwick at the time of the crash.

The plane crashed into a hostel building for doctors shortly after taking off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad on Thursday, police confirmed.

Air India says passengers on the crashed plane included 169 Indian nationals, 53 British, seven Portuguese, one Canadian, two pilots and ten cabin crew.

Flight AI171, operating Ahmedabad-London Gatwick, was involved in an incident today, 12 June 2025. At this moment, we are ascertaining the details and will share further updates at the earliest on https://t.co/Fnw0ywg2Zt and on our X handle (https://t.co/Id1XFe9SfL).

-Air India…

— Air India (@airindia) June 12, 2025

Air India released a brief press statement saying “At this moment, we are ascertaining the details and will share further updates at the earliest.”

Air India Chairman N. Chandrasekaran expressed “profound sorrow” over the crash.

“Our primary focus is on supporting all the affected people and their families,” he said in a statement. “We are doing everything in our power to assist the emergency response teams at the site and provide all necessary support and care.”

According to initial reports, the aircraft went down near Meghani Nagar area of the city, with visuals of the crash circulating on social media showing thick smoke billowing from the crash site.

The plane took off at 1:38 AM local time and crashed into a building near the airport in Ahmedabad at 1:40 PM. Gatwick Airport officials said the aircraft had been scheduled to land in London at 6.25 pm local time.

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. pic.twitter.com/59RJuBUCDj

— ANI (@ANI) June 12, 2025

Authorities have launched rescue operations, and emergency services have rushed to the scene. While details remain limited, sources suggest that passengers and crew members were onboard at the time of the accident. Officials from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) are expected to conduct a thorough investigation into the cause of the crash.

Witnesses near the airport reported hearing a loud explosion before seeing the aircraft descend rapidly. The Gujarat government has assured swift action and support for those affected by the incident.

"Very shocked to hear about the AirIndia Ahmedabad-London flight incident near Ahmedabad airport. Praying for the safety of all passengers and crew," said Yusuf Pathan, former cricketer and a member of the Indian parliament, on X.

Very shocked to hear about the #AirIndia Ahmedabad-London flight incident near Ahmedabad airport. Praying for the safety of all passengers and crew. ????#PlaneCrash #Ahmedabad

— Yusuf Pathan (@iamyusufpathan) June 12, 2025

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Source: TRT