Air India Flight AI-171 to London crashes near Ahmedabad Airport; rescue ops underway

An Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner (VT-ANB), operating flight AI-171 from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, crashed just minutes after takeoff on June 12, 2025. The aircraft, carrying 242 people including 230 passengers and 12 crew, went down in the densely populated Meghani Nagar area near the airport at 1:39 PM. The plane reportedly lost altitude shortly after liftoff and exploded into a massive fireball, triggering panic and chaos on the ground.

At least 30 fatalities have been confirmed, with several others injured and rushed to nearby hospitals. The aircraft was piloted by Capt. Sumeet Sabharwal and First Officer Clive Kunder, who issued a Mayday call moments before impact, according to DGCA.

Emergency services, including over two dozen ambulances, rushed to the scene. Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu and Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel are monitoring the situation, with central assistance assured. Air India and the Ministry of Civil Aviation have activated support teams, while the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau has launched a full probe into the incident.

Flight operations at Ahmedabad airport have been temporarily suspended.