On Thursday afternoon (June 12), an Air India flight AI171 from Ahmedabad, India to London Gatwick Airport, crashed shortly after takeoff, hitting a medical college dormitory causing severe casualties.
Here are the latest developments regarding the air disaster:
According to Air India, the Boeing 787-8 aircraft had a total of 242 occupants, including 169 Indians, 53 British, 7 Portuguese, and 1 Canadian. Preliminary reports indicate that some injured individuals have been taken to hospitals, but many are feared to have perished in the crash.
The plane went down in the residential area of Meghani Nagar, northeast of the airport, crashing into buildings at B.J. Medical College where doctors and their families reside. The scene was engulfed in fierce flames with thick smoke billowing into the sky and several buildings sustained significant damage.
The Ahmedabad police stated that the crash site is densely populated, with at least 5 confirmed deaths on the ground and nearly 50 individuals injured.
As of now, over 200 fatalities have been reported from the accident. However, on the evening of the 12th, Indian media reported that a passenger seated in 11A, a British national named Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, miraculously survived and is currently receiving medical treatment without life-threatening injuries.
Most of the passengers on board were long-distance travelers preparing to transit to Europe, and the list of casualties continues to be updated.
Flight AI171 took off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at 13:39 local time. Flight data from Flightradar24 indicates that the aircraft lost contact after reaching 625 feet (about 190 meters) and issued a distress signal “Mayday” moments before crashing.
Air India stated that an emergency response center has been activated after the accident and is cooperating with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) for a thorough investigation. Boeing has released a statement expressing full support to Air India in managing the aftermath. It is understood that the black box has been found and handed over for analysis.
Initially, Ahmedabad Airport was completely closed, and some flights have now resumed operations. London Gatwick Airport has set up an information center for passengers’ families to provide psychological and legal assistance.
Indian Prime Minister Modi expressed shock and sorrow over the tragedy in Ahmedabad and emphasized close monitoring of rescue and support progress. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the scenes as “heartbreaking” and directed the Foreign Office to offer assistance. King Charles III and Queen Camilla of the UK also issued statements of sympathy and paid tribute to frontline responders.
The aircraft involved was a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner with registration number VT-ANB. According to data, this is the first fatal accident involving this model of aircraft in its 14 years of commercial operation. Boeing has delivered over 1,100 787 aircraft models as of this year.