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Over 204 Deaths, One Survivor Confirmed in Air India Ahmedabad-London Plane Crash

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LATEST UPDATE 12 June at 10:46 PM

By The Laotian Times and AFP

Air India confirms London-bound flight AI171 crashed shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad, with 242 people on board.

What We Know So Far:

  • Air India Flight AI171 crashed just after take-off from Ahmedabad at 13:39 IST on 12 June. The flight was en route to London Gatwick Airport.

  • There were 242 people on board, including 169 Indian, 53 British, 7 Portuguese, and 1 Canadian nationals.

  • 204 deaths and one survivor confirmed.
  • Flightradar24 received the final signal from the aircraft at 625 feet shortly after take-off.

  • The aircraft issued a MAYDAY call but gave no further response to air traffic control.

  • The plane crashed in a residential area just outside the airport perimeter. It reportedly crashed into the hostel of B.J. Medical College in Ahmedabad, with unconfirmed reports of student injures/fatalities.

  • Authorities report 204 bodies recovered.

  • Authorities have confirmed that at least five students lost their lives, according to Dean Minakshi Parikh.
  • Air India’s chairman called it a “tragic accident” and extended condolences to affected families. India’s Civil Aviation Minister said he was “shocked and devastated” and is overseeing response efforts.

  • Rescue teams have been mobilized, with medical aid and relief being rushed to the site.

This is a developing story.


Air India has confirmed that Flight AI171, bound for London Gatwick from the western Indian city of Ahmedabad, crashed in a “tragic accident” shortly after take-off on 12 June.

India’s civil aviation authority just confirmed that there were 242 people on board. Air India says passengers on crashed plane included 169 Indian nationals, 53 British, seven Portuguese, one Canadian.

Authorities report no apparent survivors, with 204 bodies already recovered. The aircraft went down in a densely populated residential area, prompting widespread devastation. Indian and British officials have launched crisis responses, with rescue efforts ongoing.

The aircraft lost signal just seconds after take-off, according to flight tracking service Flightradar24, which received the last signal from the plane at an altitude of 625 feet (190 meters). The crash is believed to have occurred in a residential area.

Air India plane crash, 12 June. (Photo: Turbine Traveller/X)
Air India plane crash, 12 June. (Photo: Turbine Traveller/X)

 

The Air India Boeing 787 aircraft “crashed immediately after takeoff from Ahmedabad”, which was at 13:39 IST, the directorate said, ad

ding that “there were 242 persons on board the aircraft consisting of two pilots and 10 cabin crew”.

“It gave a MAYDAY Call to ATC (air traffic control), but thereafter no response was given by the aircraft,” it said in a statement, adding that the  aircraft “fell on ground outside the airport perimeter”.

latest reports said the flight reportedly crashed into the hostel wing of B.J. Medical College (BJMC), one of Ahmedabad’s leading medical institutions.

According to early reports, several medical students residing in the hostel might have been severely injured or killed in the crash.

The aircraft struck a campus dining facility while 60 to 80 students were inside. “Most of the students escaped, but 10 or 12 were trapped in the fire,” Parikh said.

India health minister said “many people” were killed in the plane crash.

Air India chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran expressed deep sorrow over the incident: “With profound sorrow I confirm that Air India Flight 171 operating Ahmedabad–London Gatwick was involved in a tragic accident today.”

“Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with the families and loved ones of all those affected by this devastating event,” he said, adding that an emergency center has been activated and a dedicated support team is assisting families seeking information.

India’s Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu said he was “shocked and devastated” by the crash.

“My thoughts and prayers are with all those on board and their families,” he said in a statement. “I am personally monitoring the situation and have directed all aviation and emergency response agencies to take swift and coordinated action.”

“Rescue teams have been mobilized, and all efforts are being made to ensure medical aid and relief support are being rushed to the site,” he added.

This incident marks the most serious involving an Air India aircraft since August 2020, when a smaller Boeing 737-800 operated by Air India Express skidded off the runway while landing in poor weather at Calicut airport, resulting in multiple fatalities.

While Boeing 787 Dreamliners, like the one involved in today’s crash, have had operational issues in the past, including incidents causing injuries, there has been no fatal crash recorded for this aircraft model to date, according to the Aviation Safety Network.

*This is a developing story


© Agence France-Presse

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