An Air India flight to London crashed near Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad shortly after takeoff on Thursday afternoon.
The flight, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, carried 242 people, including 230 passengers and 12 crew members. The flight plunged near the Meghani Nagar area after departing from runway 23.
Eyewitnesses heard a “loud explosion” followed by plumes of thick black smoke rising from the crash zone.
Emergency services rushed to the spot following the crash, including seven fire engines and rescue teams.
Air India confirmed the incident in a statement on X. “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,” the tweet read.
According to aviation tracker, Flightradar24, the Boeing 787-8 passenger jet had the registration VT-ANB. The jet had flown earlier in the day from Delhi to Ahmedabad.
According to sources, former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani was on the flight.
Meanwhile, all flight operations have been temporarily suspended at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport here following the crash.
“As a result, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, Ahmedabad, is currently not operational. All flight operations are temporarily suspended until further notice,” a spokesperson of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport said in a statement.
