An Air India flight heading to London Gatwick with 242 passengers and crew members on board crashed shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad Airport in Gujarat, a state in northwestern India. Air India Flight 171—a Boeing 787 Dreamliner—plummeted back to the ground in the Meghani area of Ahmedabad just minutes after takeoff.
Chilling photos and videos posted on social media on Thursday showed a massive plume of smoke billowing from the crash site near the international airport. Fragments of the doomed aircraft's fuselage and tail were seen protruding from the rubble of a demolished building. The exact cause of the crash remains unclear, as rescue operations are ongoing.
Doomed Flight Crashes Minutes after Takeoff
A video circulating on social media appeared to show the plane descending with its nose pitched upward and landing gear deployed, indicating a possible controlled descent. Emergency responders are currently heading to the crash site in hopes of locating survivors.
However, the extent of destruction visible in early photos suggests that there are likely to be heavy casualties.
According to Indian news agency ANI, police sources confirmed that 242 people were aboard the aircraft.
In a short statement posted on X, Air India said: "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."
Flight tracking platform FlightRadar24 reported that the aircraft's transponder signal dropped just moments after takeoff. "We received the last signal from the aircraft at 08:08:51 UTC, just seconds after take off," it said.
Massive Casualties Likely
According to the DGCA, air traffic control received a "Mayday" call from the aircraft shortly before all contact was lost. The plane went down just beyond the airport boundary right after takeoff, with thick black smoke billowing from the wreckage.
The flight was being operated by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, a Licensed Type Commander with 8,200 hours of flight experience, alongside First Officer Clive Kundar, who had logged 1,100 flying hours. An investigation into the incident is currently underway.
The Civil Aviation Ministry has been monitoring the situation closely.
Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu said in a statement, "Shocked and devastated to learn about the flight crash in Ahmedabad. We are on highest alert.
"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. My thoughts and prayers are with all those on board and their families."
