Ahmedabad plane crash: Air India flight carrying more than 200 passengers crashes after take-off

An Air India flight with 242 passengers on board crashed in Meghaninagar, close to Ahmedabad airport in Gujarat, on Thursday afternoon.

In one of the worst aviation disasters in a decade, more than 240 people were killed when an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed minutes after takeoff from Ahmedabad on Thursday. The London-bound flight, carrying 242 people including children and infants, went down in a densely populated area, slamming into the doctors' hostel of a medical college during lunch hour. The tragedy has triggered a nationwide state of mourning and an outpouring of global condolences.

Tragedy strikes moments after departure

Flight AI171 departed from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at 1:39 PM local time. Minutes later, the pilots issued a “Mayday” distress call. Air traffic control confirmed receiving the emergency signal, but communication was lost almost immediately. Flightradar24 reported that the last transmission from the aircraft was recorded seconds after liftoff. Eyewitnesses saw the plane vanish behind buildings before a fireball erupted into the sky.

Crash site: Hostel building and medical college struck

The aircraft slammed into the state-run B.J. Medical College hostel just outside the airport perimeter. The plane struck during lunch hour, and many medical students were reportedly in the dining area. The tail section was lodged into the upper floors of the building, while debris was scattered across a wide area.

Ahmedabad police chief G.S. Malik confirmed that at least 204 bodies had been recovered. He clarified earlier reports of a higher toll, stating that a miscount had occurred due to the duplication of some body parts. The dead include passengers, crew members, and people on the ground. DNA identification is ongoing.

Authorities said that around 70 to 80 percent of the crash zone has now been cleared, with efforts continuing amid difficult conditions.

Passenger and crew details

Air India confirmed that the aircraft carried 230 passengers and 12 crew members. The passenger list included 217 adults, 11 children, and two infants. Among those on board were 169 Indian nationals, 53 British, seven Portuguese citizens, and one Canadian. Until recently, all were feared dead — but the discovery of a survivor has provided a rare sliver of hope.

Ongoing rescue and emergency response

In a dramatic revelation, one man has been confirmed as the sole known survivor of the crash. Ramesh Viswashkumar, a 40-year-old British national, had been seated near an emergency exit in seat 11A. According to police, he managed to jump out of the aircraft, though it remains unclear whether he did so before or after impact. Speaking from his hospital bed, Viswashkumar recounted the chaos he witnessed: “When I got up, there were bodies all around me. I was scared. I stood up and ran. There were pieces of the plane all around me. Someone grabbed hold of me and put me in an ambulance and brought me to the hospital.”

Viswashkumar had been traveling with his brother Ajay after visiting family in India. Ajay was seated in another row and remains unaccounted for. Viswashkumar’s family in the UK has confirmed contact with him but shared little else. A cousin based in Leicester, Ajay Valgi, told the BBC, “He only said that he was fine, nothing else,” adding that the family had not received any word about his brother.

Video footage aired on Indian news channels showed a man resembling Viswashkumar — bloodied, dazed, and limping in a torn white shirt — being helped by medics on a city street. He was later photographed in a hospital bed, alive but injured.

Police have reiterated that he is the only confirmed survivor among passengers, though senior officer Vidhi Chaudhary noted that rescue efforts are ongoing and “chances are that there might be more survivors among the injured who are being treated in the hospital.”

Emergency services continue to operate in shifts at the crash site. Teams from the National Disaster Response Force, local firefighters, and medical staff remain on the ground. Hospitals across Ahmedabad have been put on alert, and a green corridor has been created to allow rapid transportation of the injured.

Aircraft type and technical developments

The aircraft involved was a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, a long-range widebody jet introduced in 2011. This marks the first fatal crash involving this model. The particular aircraft that crashed entered service in January 2014.

Experts have raised questions over footage showing the plane flying low with its landing gear extended — a configuration not typical for the ascent phase. Aviation safety specialist Anthony Brickhouse commented that the visuals appeared more like a landing attempt than a departure.

Boeing has acknowledged the crash and said it is working to gather all technical data in cooperation with Indian authorities. Shares in Boeing fell 6.8% in early trading following news of the crash. GE Aerospace, the aircraft's engine manufacturer, is also sending a technical team to assist the investigation.

Investigation underway

India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is leading the formal inquiry. Investigators are working to locate and recover the aircraft’s flight data and cockpit voice recorders, which are crucial to understanding the sequence of events. Preliminary data suggest the aircraft encountered difficulties shortly after takeoff, but no cause has yet been established.

Government and airline reactions

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted a message on X, saying the crash had “stunned and saddened” the nation. “It is heartbreaking beyond words,” he wrote, adding that he was in close contact with ministers and officials overseeing rescue efforts.

Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu visited the crash site and hospital facilities in Ahmedabad, while Home Minister Amit Shah pledged federal resources to support state response teams. Air India said it is “ascertaining details” and will issue further updates. A support centre has been activated for the victims’ families.

International coordination and global response

World leaders have responded with expressions of sympathy and support. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the incident as “devastating,” and King Charles said he and Queen Camilla were “desperately shocked” by the tragedy. The King expressed “our special prayers and deepest possible sympathy” to those affected across many nations.

The Vatican, through Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin, conveyed condolences on behalf of Pope Leo XIV, who offered prayers for the deceased and invoked blessings of healing for the survivors.

Other leaders who expressed condolences include Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Russian President Vladimir Putin, French President Emmanuel Macron, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, and Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin.

Amy Leversidge, General Secretary of the British Airline Pilots' Association, said the global aviation community was grieving. She emphasised the need for a full, interference-free investigation to prevent similar tragedies in future.

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