There were 53 British passengers onboard plane that crashed into residential building
16 hours ago
Main points:
- A London-bound Air India flight carrying 242 people crashed on Thursday in a residential area shortly after takeoff in the Indian city of Ahmedabad
- An earlier death toll of over 290 people has since been revised downwards to more than 240, but could increase again, officials say
- There is one known survivor, 40-year-old British-Indian national Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, who was on the flight with his brother
- Tata Sons, which owns Air India, said it will offer around EUR100,000 to the families of each person who died
- President Michael D Higgins and Taoiseach Miche?l Martin have expressed their condolences to the families of those who lost their lives
14 hours ago
In case you're just catching up, here's what you need to know about today's events:
More than 240 people were killed[1] after a London-bound Air India flight crashed in a residential area in the western Indian city of Ahmedabad, according to police and local reports.
An earlier death toll of over 290 people has since been revised downwards, but could increase again, officials said.
A British man is believed to be the sole survivor.
The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner was carrying 242 people when it crashed[2] minutes after taking off at 1.38pm local time from Ahmedabad, the main city in the north-western Indian state of Gujarat.
Footage showed the aircraft flying over the city before disappearing behind trees and bursting into flames, in the world's worst aviation disaster in a decade.
14 hours ago
Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a British-Indian man believed to be the only passenger who survived the crash, has "no idea" how he escaped, his brother has said.
Speaking outside the family home in Leicester, Ramesh's brother, Nayan Kumar Ramesh, said:
"We were just shocked as soon as we heard it.
"I last spoke to him yesterday morning. We're devastated, just devastated.
"He said, 'I have no idea how I exited the plane'."
Their other brother, Ajay Kumar Ramesh, was also on the flight and is presumed dead.
- PA
14 hours ago
14 hours ago
India's home minister, Amit Shah, has met people injured in the crash, including the lone passenger who survived.
Mr Shah also inspected the crash site.
"The whole nation is mourning the unfortunate incident. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families who have lost their loved ones," he said in a post on X.
Visited the hospital and met with the people injured in the tragic plane crash in Ahmedabad.
Spoke with the affected family members and assured them of every possible support required for the swift recovery of the injured. Also discussed with the doctors about their present... pic.twitter.com/9et40tlRZy[3]
-- Amit Shah (@AmitShah) June 12, 2025[4]Inspected the site of the fatal plane crash in Ahmedabad. The whole nation is mourning the unfortunate incident.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the families who have lost their loved ones. pic.twitter.com/V2wkWz3ljh[5]
-- Amit Shah (@AmitShah) June 12, 2025[6]15 hours ago
The flight was due to arrive at London's Gatwick Airport around now, 6.25pm.
Officials at the airport are "liaising closely with Air India", a statement noted.
A reception centre for relatives of those on board has been set up in Gatwick Airport "where information and support will be provided".
British nationals who require consular assistance or have concerns about friends or family should call 020 7008 5000, the statement added.
Air India has set up a dedicated passenger hotline number - 1800 5691 444 - to provide more information.
16 hours ago
Speaking at the White House, US President Trump said he has offered "anything [the US] can do" to Indian authorities after the "horrific crash".
US President Donald Trump speaking at the White House on Thursday. Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images"Nobody had any idea what happened.
It looks like it was flying just fine," Mr Trump said.
He added that he believed it was "one of the most worst crashes in aviation history".
16 hours ago
Darkness has now descended on the crash site in Ahmedabad, where it is 10.15pm (the city's time zone is four and half hours ahead of Ireland) as search efforts continue.
Debris at the crash site of Air India Ltd.Flight 171 in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. Photographer: Siddharaj Solanki/Bloomberg
16 hours ago
In an update on X, Air India said a special team of caregivers "has arrived in Ahmedabad to provide support to our teams on ground".
"We are working with local authorities to provide necessary assistance and are extending full cooperation to the authorities investigating this incident," the post added.
UPDATE: A special team of caregivers from Air India has arrived in Ahmedabad to provide support to our teams on ground. We are working with local authorities to provide necessary assistance and are extending full cooperation to the authorities investigating this incident.
Air...
-- Air India (@airindia) June 12, 2025[7]17 hours ago
An eyewitness has said he helped three people into an ambulance at the scene of the Ahmedabad plane crash.
The man, who was not named, told BBC News: "I heard a sound, awful sound like a bomb blast. We got there, there was smoke, there was fire, so I thought I would see. Someone said a plane fell, so we went there".
He added: "I was working.
There was smoke and I thought I would take a look at what happened; when I got there there wasn't anyone, members of the public were running that way, I was travelling by car, so I was the first person there.
"When I went there I saw the plane was on fire, there were three people next to it - one lady and two men - I called 000, called the ambulance, called the fire brigade, the ambulance came and my driver was with me, we put them into the ambulance and they left."
The trio had not been on the aircraft and the woman was around 50 years old, he said.
"There was one man who had a card around his neck but I didn't pay attention what it was written on the card, but I put them in the ambulance and I let them go - then the police came, the national security guard commanders came... they moved us away."
- PA
17 hours ago
More photos are emerging from the aftermath of the crash.
A family member of one of the crew members of Air India flight 171 mourns at her residence in Thoubal Mayai Leikai near Imphal in the Indian state of Manipur on June 12th, 2025. Photo by AFP via Getty Images
Family members of one of the crew members of Air India flight 171 mourn at their house in Thoubal Mayai Leikai, near Imphal in the Indian state of Manipur, on June 12th, 2025. Photo by AFP via Getty Images
The back of Air India flight 171 is pictured at the site after it crashed in a residential area near the airport in Ahmedabad on June 12th, 2025.Photo by Sam PANTHAKY/AFP via Getty Images
Rescue officials are seen near the wreckage of Air India flight 171 after it crashed in a residential area near the airport in Ahmedabad on June 12th, 2025. Photo by SAM PANTHAKY/AFP via Getty Images17 hours ago
The crash of Air India Flight 171 has turned 2025 into one of the deadliest years in the past decade for civil aviation.
There were 242 people aboard the Boeing Co 787 jetliner, according to the airline, when the plane went down in a fireball Thursday shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad, India.
More than 290 people are dead, according to local police; the plane crashed into a residential area.
Globally, the number of civil aviation fatalities has reached more than 460 in 2025, according to Jan-Arwed Richter, founder of Jacdec, a German consulting firm that tracks aviation safety.
The average over the past decade is 284 based on the firm's methodology.
"This year still has more than six months to go, so this could be concerning if this rate of fatal accidents would go on," Mr Richter said.
The deadliest years for civil aviation in the past decade were in 2018 and 2015, with more than 500 fatalities each, based on Jacdec's figures. The group tracks aircraft with at least 19 seats, or weighing 5.7 tonnes.
- Bloomberg
17 hours ago
The Air India tragedy in Ahmedabad is the first time a Boeing 787 Dreamliner has crashed since the plane's introduction in 2011[8].
While airlines using the Boeing plane have had widespread problems with engines on the 787 - resulting in many having to ground planes and reduce flights - its safety record in service has so far been good.
17 hours ago
More than 290 people were killed following the plane crash, a police officer said, Reuters is reporting.
There were 242 people aboard the Boeing Co 787 jetliner, according to the airline, which crashed into a doctors' hostel in a residential area.
17 hours ago
Taoiseach Miche?l Martin has offered his condolences to the families of those who died after a London-bound plane crashed in India.
"It is horrific and very, very sad what has happened in India, the plane (crash) just shortly after departure, I believe less than a minute," he said.
"Our thoughts and our prayers are with the families of those bereaved, crew members bereaved, and with the people of India, Britain and Canada. The world is a much closer place, we all travel.
"It is extremely sad and shocking that an accident of this scale has occurred with the loss of so much life."
Taoiseach Miche?l Martin pictured in Dundalk, Co Louth today. Photo: Brian Lawless/PA WireMr Martin noted that it took place close to the 40th anniversary of the Air India flight 182 disaster, in which the plane crashed off the coast of Ireland on June 23rd, 1985, as a result of a terrorist attack.
"All of us who experienced that had a sense of trauma that people go through when crashes of this kind happen," he said.
T?naiste and minister for foreign affairs Simon Harris also extended his sympathy "to all of those caught up" in the "very tragic and horrific" crash.
"We think of all of them and their families in what is an evolving story, with no doubt, more information to come," he told the D?il.
- PA
18 hours ago
City police chief GS Malik told Reuters that 204 bodies had been recovered from the crash site. Vidhi Chaudhary, another senior police officer, said police found one survivor who was in seat 11A, adding that there could be more survivors in hospital.
- Reuters
18 hours ago
Air India said it is organising two relief flights to Ahmedabad for families of the passengers and staff involved in the plane crash.
In a statement on X, the airline said: "Next of kin of passengers and staff in Delhi and Mumbai wanting to travel on these flights can call our hotline on 1800 5691 444. Additionally, those coming in from international destinations and wanting to travel can call our hotline on +91 8062779200."
UPDATE: Air India is organizing two relief flights, one each from Delhi and Mumbai, to Ahmedabad for the next of kin of passengers and Air India staff. Details of the flights:
IX1555 - Delhi-AhmedabadTime of departure: 2300 hrs on 12 June IX1556 - Ahmedabad-DelhiTime of...
-- Air India (@airindia) June 12, 2025[9]18 hours ago
Local media is now reporting there is one survivor from the crash.
Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, the sole survivor of the Air India crash that killed more than 200 people.Photo: Hindustan Times
Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a 40-year-old British-Indian national who lives in London and was in Ahmedabad visiting family, told the Hindustan Times[10]:
"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."
His brother, Ajay Kumar Ramesh (45), was also on the flight.
Earlier, Ahmedabad police said there appeared to be no survivors.
18 hours ago
Pope Leo XIV said he is "deeply saddened" by the tragedy.
Pope Leo XIV stands during a Pentecost vigil prayer at St Peter's Square in the Vatican on June 7th, 2025. (Photo by TIZIANA FABI / AFP) (Photo by TIZIANA FABI/AFP via Getty Images)"Deeply saddened by the tragedy involving an Air India aircraft near Ahmedabad, his Holiness Pope Leo XIV sends his heartfelt condolences to the families and friends of those who have lost their lives," the Vatican's secretary of state Cardinal Pietro Parolin said in a statement.
Pope Leo is also praying "for all involved in the recovery efforts", Cardinal Parolin added.
18 hours ago
More political reaction:
Ishaq Dar, Pakistan's foreign minister and deputy prime minister, said he is "saddened" by the plane crash.
"Condolences over the loss of precious lives in this tragic incident. Our sympathies are with the families of the victims in this hour of grief," Dar said in a post on X.
Saddened at the crash of Air India flight in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. Condolences over the loss of precious lives in this tragic incident.
Our sympathies are with the families of the victims in this hour of grief.
-- Ishaq Dar (@MIshaqDar50) June 12, 2025[11]18 hours ago
Canada's prime minister, Mark Carney, said he is "devastated" by the crash.
One of the passengers was a Canadian national.
Devastated to learn of the crash of a London-bound Air India plane in Ahmedabad, carrying 242 passengers -- including one Canadian. My thoughts are with the loved ones of everyone on board. Canada's transportation officials are in close contact with counterparts...
-- Mark Carney (@MarkJCarney) June 12, 2025[12]18 hours ago
President Michael D Higgins has expressed his "deepest condolences to the families and communities of all those who have lost their lives in today's tragic airplane crash in the city of Ahmedabad, India".
President Michael D Higgins pictured in Dublin on May 29th, 2025. Photograph: Dara Mac D?naill / The Irish Times"All of our thoughts are with those who are grieving those lost, be it passengers or those in the vicinity of the crash, as well as the emergency workers at the scene," he said in a statement on Thursday afternoon.
"As President, I extend the condolences of the Irish people to the President of India, H.E. Droupadi Murmu, His Majesty King Charles, and to the citizens and Heads of State of all those countries who have been impacted by this tragic event."
18 hours ago
Air India owner, Tata Sons, said the company would also cover the medical expenses of those injured after the plane crash at Ahmedabad Airport.
We are deeply anguished by the tragic event involving Air India Flight 171. No words can adequately express the grief we feel at this moment. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families who have lost their loved ones, and with those who have been injured.
Tata Group will...
-- Tata Group (@TataCompanies) June 12, 2025[13]In a statement posted on X, Natarajan Chandrasekaran, chairman of Tata Sons and Tata Group, said: "We are deeply anguished by the tragic event involving Air India Flight 171. No words can adequately express the grief we feel at this moment.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the families who have lost their loved ones, and with those who have been injured. Tata Group will provide INR1 crore (10,000,000 Indian Rupee; about EUR100,000) to the families of each person who has lost their life in this tragedy.
"We will also cover the medical expenses of those injured and ensure that they receive all necessary care and support.
Additionally, we will provide support in the building up of the B J Medical's hostel. We remain steadfast in standing with the affected families and communities during this unimaginable time."
19 hours ago
Tata Sons, which owns Air India, will offer around ?86,000 (just over EUR100,000) to the families of each person who died in the Ahmedabad plane crash, the company said.
- PA
19 hours ago
There appear to be no survivors from a London-bound Air India flight carrying 242 people which crashed shortly after takeoff in the north-western city of Ahmedabad, a police commissioner has said.
The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner was engulfed in a huge fireball after crashing into the Meghaninagar residential area minutes after taking off at 1.38pm local time.
The Ahmedabad police commissioner, Gyanendra Singh Malik, said: "It appears there are no survivors in the plane crash." He also said "some locals would have also died". The area where the plane crashed included a hostel for doctors and medical students.
The plane is said to have struck the top of the dining area of the state-run BJ Medical College hostel, killing many students, according to India's CNN News-18 TV channel.
More than 100 bodies had been brought to the local government hospital for autopsies, police told Reuters.
19 hours ago
The Air India crash may have been caused by power of flight control lost, according to an international aviation attorney.
Robert A Clifford, who worked as the lead counsel in the crash on a Boeing 737 crash in Ethiopia six years ago that killed all 157 onboard, said: "Review of available video and eyewitness information indicate some form of power or flight control loss."
Mr Clifford, senior partner at Clifford Law Offices in Chicago, added: "The Indian government investigators should have flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder information within a couple of days that will provide vital information to try to get to the bottom of this deadly tragedy."
19 hours ago
London Gatwick has set up a reception centre for relatives of those on board is being set up where information and support will be provided.
British nationals who require consular assistance or have concerns about friends or family should call 0044 20 7008 5000.
Air India has set up a dedicated passenger hotline number 1800 5691 444 to provide more information.
Air India confirms that flight AI171, from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, was involved in an accident today after take-off. The flight, which departed from Ahmedabad at 1338 hrs, was carrying 242 passengers and crew members on board the Boeing 787-8 aircraft. Of these, 169 are...
-- Air India (@airindia) June 12, 2025[14]
A view of the site after a plane crashed following takeoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in India's western state of Gujarati. (Photo by Central Industrial Security Force / Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images)19 hours ago
Police in the Indian city of Ahmedabad said they had collected 204 dead bodies after a London-bound passenger plane with 242 people on board crashed into residential buildings after takeoff.
"We have found 204 bodies," city police commissioner GS Malik told AFP, adding that 41 injured people were "under treatment".
The dead included those from the plane crash and from buildings into which the plane smashed. "Rescue work is ongoing," he said.
20 hours ago
The BBC is reporting that between 50 to 60 students studying medicine at the India's Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) were taken to hospital after the Air India flight crashed into a doctors' hostel.
The association says five students are missing, and at least two are in the intensive care unit.
Relatives of some doctors are also missing. According to FAIMA, most of the passengers on the flight were brought to hospital dead.
20 hours ago
King Charles III said in a written message: "My wife and I have been desperately shocked by the terrible events in Ahmedabad this morning.
"Our special prayers and deepest possible sympathy are with the families and friends of all those affected by this appallingly tragic incident across so many nations, as they await news of their loved ones.
"I would like to pay a particular tribute to the heroic efforts of the emergency services and all those providing help and support at this most heartbreaking and traumatic time."
20 hours ago
The police chief in Ahmedabad says there appears to be no survivors from the plane crash, according to reports from the AFP and AP news agencies
21 hours ago
No Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft had crashed until the Ahmedabad incident.
The aircraft type, which entered service in 2011, is described by the US manufacturer as "the bestselling passenger widebody of all time" with more than 2,000 orders from 89 customers.
The planes have carried more than one billion passengers on nearly five million flights.
Air India has 34 of the aircraft in its fleet, according to aviation analysts Cirium.
The jet is flown by a number of other airlines serving the UK, such as British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and Tui Airways.
It increases fuel efficiency by up to 25% compared with the planes it replaces, largely because of modern engines, using lightweight materials and improved aerodynamics.
Recent concerns over the safety of Boeing aircraft have generally been related to its 737 Max aircraft.
A Boeing 787 Dreamliner operated by Ethiopian Airlines caught fire while parked at Heathrow airport with no passengers onboard in 2013.
An investigation found the fire was probably caused by a short circuit.
India is one of the world's fastest growing markets for passenger flights.
The country has witnessed a number of deadly crashes.
Pilot error was blamed for a crash involving an Air India Express plane carrying 190 people in the southern state of Kerala in August 2020.
Twenty-one people were killed.
In May 2010, some 158 people died when an Air India plane flying from Dubai overshot the runway and crashed into a gorge while attempting to land in the southern city of Mangaluru.
- PA
21 hours ago
British foreign minister David Lammy said he was deeply saddened by news of a plane crash in India, and that Britain was now working with Indian authorities.
"Deeply saddened by news of a devastating plane crash in Ahmedabad, India," Mr Lammy said on X.
"My thoughts are with all those affected. The UK is working with local authorities in India to urgently establish the facts and provide support."
Speaking in parliament later on, he said Britain had activated a crisis team in both India's capital, New Delhi, and in London.
21 hours ago
Shares in Boeing tumbled in pre-market trading on Thursday after one of its planes crashed shortly after taking off in India.
The US-based airplane manufacturer, which has been blighted by safety issues in recent years, saw shares drop as much as 8 per cent.
Airline Air India said 169 passengers are Indian nationals, 53 are British, one is Canadian and seven are Portuguese.
A Boeing spokesman said: "We are aware of initial reports and are working to gather more information."
It is the first crash involving a Boeing 787 aircraft, according to the Aviation Safety Network database.
However, the fleet was reportedly grounded in 2013 after fires related to lithium-ion batteries in its electrical power system.
It is understood that airline operators including British Airways, United Airways and Qatar Airways use the model.
Firefighters work at the site of the crash. Photograph: Siddharaj Solanki/EPAThe tragedy in Ahmedabad has stunned and saddened us.
It is heartbreaking beyond words. In this sad hour, my thoughts are with everyone affected by it. Have been in touch with Ministers and authorities who are working to assist those affected.
-- Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 12, 2025[15]23 hours ago
An Air India[16] plane bound for London with 242 people on board crashed minutes after taking off from India's western city of Ahmedabad on Thursday, the airline and police said, without specifying whether there were any fatalities.
The plane was en route to Gatwick airport in the UK, Air India said, while police officers said it crashed in a civilian area near the airport.
The 242 people included 217 adults and 11 children, a source told Reuters news agency.
Of them, 169 were Indian nationals, 43 were British, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian.
Aviation tracking site Flightradar24 said the plane was a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, one of the most modern passenger aircraft in service.
"At this moment, we are ascertaining the details and will share further updates," Air India said on X.
People and rescuers are seen at a site of a plane crash in Ahmedabad in India's Gujarat state. Photo by Xinhua/ShutterstockThe crash occurred just after the plane took off, television channels reported.
One channel showed the plane taking off over a residential area and then disappearing from the screen before a huge cloud of fire rising into the sky from beyond the houses.
Visuals also showed debris on fire, with thick black smoke rising up into the sky near the airport.
They also showed people being moved in stretchers and being taken away in ambulances.
According to air traffic control at Ahmedabad airport, the aircraft departed at 1.39pm local time from runway 23.
It gave a "Mayday" call, signalling an emergency, but thereafter there was no response from the aircraft.
Flightradar24 also said that it received the last signal from the aircraft seconds after it took off.
"The aircraft involved is a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner with registration VT-ANB," it said.
Boeing did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
- Reuters
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