Air India plane, with 242 on board, crashes 5 mins after takeoff from Ahmedabad: What we know so far

The air India flight took off at 1:38 pm and went down shortly after departure, officials confirmed.

An Air India flight bound for London’s Gatwick airport with 242 passengers onboard crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad on Thursday afternoon.

Firefighters work at the site of an airplane that crashed in India's northwestern city of Ahmedabad in Gujarat state, Thursday, June12, 2025. (AP)

“Flight AI 171, 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,” Air India said in a statement on ‘X’.

According to officials, the Boeing B787-8 aircraft took off at 1:38 PM and crashed within five minutes of taking off from Runway 23. The crash occurred near the Meghaninagar area, close to Ahmedabad airport. Follow Ahmedabad plane crash live updates.

Ahmedabad plane crash: What we know so far

1. A total of 242 passengers and crew members were on board the Boeing 787-8 aircraft. According to initial passenger data confirmed by Air India on ‘X’, the ill-fated plane carried 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, 1 Canadian national, and 7 Portuguese nationals.
2. The aircraft was being flown by Pilot-in-Command Sumit Sabharwal and Co-pilot Clive Kunder. As of now, official confirmation on the number of casualties or survivors is still awaited. As per sources, at least 120 people are feared dead.
3. The pilots of the Air India flight that crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on Thursday issued a ‘Mayday’ distress call via radio communication, indicating a serious emergency on board. The internationally recognised alert is used to signal life-threatening situations.
4. The Ahmedabad airport has been temporarily shut down. All flight operations are temporarily suspended until further notice. Emergency services, including fire brigades and ambulances, were rushed to the crash site.
5. Initial visuals from the incident site showed thick black smoke billowing into the sky from what appeared to be near the airport perimeter, indicating a significant fire post-impact.
6. The flight was operated by a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, scheduled to fly from Ahmedabad to Gatwick, London.
7. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep sorrow over the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad, calling it “heartbreaking beyond words.” In a message posted on X, he said, “The tragedy in Ahmedabad has stunned and saddened us. It is heartbreaking beyond words. In this sad hour, my thoughts are with everyone affected by it. Have been in touch with Ministers and authorities who are working to assist those affected.”
8. Modi on Thursday personally spoke to Civil aviation minister Rammohan Naidu to take stock of the situation following the Air India flight crash in Ahmedabad.
9. According to a statement from the Office of the minister of civil aviation (HMCA), the Prime Minister was briefed by the minister, who informed him that he is rushing to Ahmedabad to directly monitor the rescue and relief operations.
10. Union home minister Amit Shah has spoken to Gujarat chief minister Bhupendra Patel, the state’s home minister, and the Ahmedabad police commissioner, assuring full support from the Central government for rescue and relief efforts.
11. Chief minister Bhupendra Patel said he has directed officials to launch rescue and relief operations urgently and to arrange medical treatment for the injured on a priority basis. “I have also instructed to arrange a green corridor to take the injured passengers for treatment and to ensure all the treatment arrangements in the hospital are given priority,” he added.
12. The Tata Group, which owns Air India, extended its condolences to the families of those affected by the crash. In a statement posted on X, the company said, “At this moment, our primary focus is on supporting all the affected people and their families. We are doing everything in our power to assist the emergency response teams at the site and to provide all necessary support and care to those impacted.”
13. The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has initiated emergency response protocols following the crash. In an official statement, AAI said, “In light of the recent incident involving #AirIndia Flight AI171, an Operational Control Room has been activated at @MoCA_GoI (New Delhi) to oversee and coordinate all necessary response measures.”
14. Air India has activated a dedicated passenger helpline (1800 5691 444) to provide information and assistance to families and the public following the crash.
15. This is the first recorded crash of a Boeing 787 aircraft, according to the Aviation Safety Network database cited by the Associated Press.