More than 200 killed as Air India plane crashes after take-off in Ahmedabad

More than 200 people were killed when an Air India plane bound for London with 242 people on board crashed minutes after taking off fromthe western city of Ahmedabad on Thursday, authorities said, in the world's worst aviation disaster in a decade, Report informs via Reuters.

The plane came down in a residential area, crashing on to a medical college hostel outside the airport during lunch hour. It was headed for Gatwick Airport, south of the British capital.

City police chief G.S. Malik told Reuters that 204 bodies had been recovered from the crash site. There were no reports of survivors being found, and the Indian Express newspaper said all 242 on board had perished, citing police.

Malik said the bodies recovered could include both passengers and people killed on the ground.

Relatives had been asked to give DNA samples to identify the dead, state health secretary Dhananjay Dwivedi said.

"The building on which it has crashed is a doctors' hostel... we have cleared almost 70% to 80% of the area and will clear the rest soon," a senior police officer told reporters.

Parts of the plane's body were scattered around the building into which it crashed, photographs and videos from the area showed. The tail of the plane was stuck on top of the building.

India's CNN News-18 TV channels said the plane crashed on top of the dining area of state-run B.J. Medical College hostel, killing many medical students as well.

The passengers included 217 adults, 11 children and two infants, a source told Reuters. Of them, 169 were Indian nationals, 53 were Britons, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian, Air India said.

Aviation tracking site Flightradar24 said the plane was a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, one of the most modern passenger aircraft in service.

It was the first crash for the Dreamliner, which began flying commercially in 2011, according to the Aviation Safety Network database. The plane that crashed on Thursday flew for the first time in 2013 and was delivered to Air India in January 2014, Flightradar24 said.

"At this moment, we are ascertaining the details and will share further updates," Air India said on X.

14:12

At least 40 people were killed after an Air India flight crashed near the Ahmedabad airport on June 12, Report informs referring to News18.

The incident took place when the Air India flight, carrying 232 passengers and 10 crew members, was taking off for London at 1:17 PM (GMT+5:30).

The plane was carrying 169 Indians, 53 British nationals, 7 Portuguese, and one Canadian passenger. Heavy smoke was visible from Dharpur near the Meghaninagar area in Ahmedabad. The fire brigade has rushed to the spot, and emergency response teams are being mobilised. Authorities are yet to confirm the cause of the crash.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Home Minister Amit Shah and Civil Aviation Minister Rammohan Naidu about the crash. The PM asked the two ministers to go to Ahmedabad and ensure all possible assistance is extended to those affected.

Earlier today, Shah also spoke to Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel following the crash.

13:35

An Air India passenger plane crashed in the western Indian city of Ahmedabad on Thursday afternoon, not long after departing for London's Gatwick airport, Indian media reported. The airline confirmed only that the London-bound flight had been involved in "an incident," Report informs via CBS News.

"Flight AI171, operating Ahmedabad-London Gatwick, was involved in an incident today," the airline confirmed in a social media post. "At this moment, we are ascertaining the details and will share further updates."

There was no immediate confirmation from Indian officials of suspected casualties. Live flight tracking website Flight Radar said it had received a final signal from Flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft capable of carrying more than 250 people, just seconds after it took off.

The flight path showed it travelling southwest from the airport before the path stops.

Indian TV channels showed thick smoke rising from the apparent crash site, with some images showing significant damage to buildings and multiple ambulances rushing to the scene.

Passenger plane with 242 aboard crashes near Ahmedabad, India#Report #ReportAz #ReportNewsAz #Azerbaijan #PlaneCrash #India #Ahmedabad pic.twitter.com/Jpjaj3RFWo

— Report News Agency (@reportaznews) June 12, 2025