A devastating air disaster has unfolded near Ahmedabad, a major city in western India, with an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashing shortly after take-off on Thursday, 12 June 2025. Authorities have confirmed that there appear to be no survivors among the 230 passengers and 12 crew members on board, a total of 242 souls. The crash has sent shockwaves through the aviation industry, tarnishing the Dreamliner's previously unblemished safety record and causing Boeing shares to plummet in pre-market trading.
The aircraft, Flight AI171, was en route to London Gatwick Airport and was scheduled to land at 6:25pm local time (17:25 GMT). The flight manifest reveals a diverse mix of nationalities, with 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, one Canadian national, and seven Portuguese nationals among the passengers. The nationalities of the crew members have not yet been released.
The tragedy has prompted swift responses from leaders around the globe. India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his profound sorrow on X, stating that the tragedy in Ahmedabad had "stunned and saddened us." He added, "It is heartbreaking beyond words. In this sad hour, my thoughts are with everyone affected by it." Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu also conveyed his shock and devastation on X, confirming that he was personally monitoring the situation and had directed all aviation and emergency response agencies to take immediate and coordinated action.
Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the scenes as "devastating" and stated that he was being kept updated on the situation. Buckingham Palace confirmed that King Charles III was also being briefed on the unfolding events.
Eyewitness accounts and social media footage paint a grim picture of the crash site. Videos verified by NBC News show thick plumes of black smoke billowing into the sky from a civilian area south of Ahmedabad airport. The plane's tail could be seen protruding from the wall of a building, as depicted in a photograph shared on X by India’s central police force. Other images show rescue workers amidst charred wreckage and a downed tree near a residential complex.
The crash site is located in Meghani Nagar, a densely populated residential area on the outskirts of Ahmedabad. According to Faiz Ahmed Kidwai, head of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, the aircraft came down close to the airport after reaching an altitude of just 625 feet (190 metres). The plane reportedly issued a mayday alert to air traffic control before all communications ceased.
Adding to the horror, India’s CNN News-18 TV channels reported that the plane crashed on top of the dining area of the state-run B.J. Medical College hostel, potentially claiming the lives of many medical students. A senior police officer confirmed to reporters that the building on which the plane crashed was a doctors' hostel and that authorities had cleared almost 70% to 80% of the area, with efforts continuing to clear the remainder.
The impact of the crash has been felt far beyond Ahmedabad. Shares of Boeing, the manufacturer of the aircraft, plummeted by over 8% in pre-market trading in the United States. Shares of Spirit AeroSystems, a key supplier, and GE Aerospace, which makes engines for the jet, also experienced significant declines.
GE Aerospace stated on X that it had activated its emergency response team and would support the investigation, but did not specify whether the Air India aircraft was equipped with its engines.
The crash has cast a shadow over the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, one of the most modern passenger aircraft in service. According to the Aviation Safety Network database, this was the first fatal crash involving a Dreamliner since it began commercial flights in 2011. Flightradar24 data indicates that the plane that crashed had its first flight in 2013 and was delivered to Air India in January 2014.
Alex Macheras, an independent aviation analyst, described the incident as potentially "one of the worst aviation incidents for Indian aviation history in recent decades." He noted that the Boeing 787 has a very good track record for safety and that the crash would raise serious questions about what could have gone wrong with this particular flight and why the aircraft was "struggling to gain altitude" after take-off.
Air India, once a state-owned airline, is now under the control of the Indian conglomerate, Tata Group. Natarajan Chandrasekaran, chairman of Tata Group, stated that an emergency centre had been activated for family members seeking information. "Our primary focus is on supporting all the affected people and their families," he said on X.
With more than 100 bodies, many badly charred, transported to the local government hospital for autopsy, the grim task of identifying the victims and providing closure to their families has begun. Ahmedabad airport has been closed, and all flight operations have been suspended until further notice.
As the investigation into the cause of the crash gets underway, the global aviation community mourns the loss of 242 lives and grapples with the implications for the future of air travel. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the inherent risks associated with air travel and the importance of maintaining the highest safety standards.
Follow Us on Twitter
