Air India Boeing 787 Crashes in Ahmedabad on Takeoff, Immediate Casualties Feared

An Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner, Flight AI 171, bound for London Gatwick, crashed into a residential area in Ahmedabad on Thursday, June 12, 2025, shortly after takeoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. The catastrophic incident, occurring in the afternoon, has led to widespread fears of mass casualties among the 242 people reportedly on board, including passengers and crew, as well as a significant number of fatalities on the ground.

The aircraft departed Ahmedabad at approximately 1:38 PM local time. According to initial reports from air traffic control (ATC), the pilot issued a “Mayday” distress call, signaling a full emergency, just moments after lifting off. Communications with the plane ceased almost immediately thereafter. The aviation tracking site Flightradar24 indicated that the aircraft reached a maximum altitude of only 625 feet (190 meters) before it began its rapid descent.

The Boeing 787 crashed into the hostel complex of a medical college in Meghaninagar, a densely populated neighborhood located just 2 kilometers from the airport runway. Eyewitnesses described a massive fireball and plumes of thick black smoke erupting from the crash site as the plane impacted buildings, including the dining area of the college.

Rescue teams, including firefighters, police, military personnel, and national disaster response forces, were immediately deployed to the scene, which was quickly overwhelmed by the scale of the destruction. Initial reports from Ahmedabad Police Commissioner G.S. Malik confirmed that 204 bodies had been recovered by early evening, with fears that the death toll would rise significantly as search efforts continued through the debris. The recovered bodies included both those from the aircraft and residents on the ground.

Air India confirmed in a statement that out of the 242 people on board, 241 were confirmed fatalities, with only one passenger initially reported to have survived the crash. The lone survivor, later identified as Vishwashkumar Ramesh, a British national of Indian origin, was found escaping from an emergency exit and was rushed to a local hospital for treatment. Medical officials confirmed he was disoriented but appeared to be out of danger.

Among the confirmed casualties on the ground were at least five medical students from the college whose dining area was hit, with nearly 50 others injured, some critically. Former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani was also among those tragically killed in the incident.

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who hails from the state of Gujarat, expressed his profound grief, stating on social media, “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 expressed shock and devastation, assuring that rescue teams were mobilized to provide aid and relief.

The cause of the crash was not immediately clear on Thursday. India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) announced that it would lead a thorough investigation into the disaster. International aviation authorities, including the UK’s Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) and the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), pledged their support to the Indian-led inquiry. This incident marks the first recorded fatal crash involving a Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft since its introduction into service. Ahmedabad airport was closed, and all flight operations were suspended for the remainder of the day.