Indian plane with 242 on board crashes in Ahmedabad

AHMEDABAD, INDIA — Tragedy struck on Thursday, June 12, 2025, when an Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed minutes after taking off from Ahmedabad, killing more than 200 people in what is now the world’s deadliest aviation disaster in the last 10 years.

The aircraft, bound for London’s Gatwick Airport, had 242 people on board. According to local reports from Indian Express, all passengers — including 11 children and 2 infants — are feared dead. Among the victims were 169 Indian nationals, 53 Britons, 7 Portuguese citizens, and 1 Canadian.

Plane Crashed Into Residential Medical Building

The aircraft went down in a densely populated area near the airport. It crashed directly onto a doctors’ hostel at BJ Medical College, sparking intense fire and chaos. Many medical students were reportedly among the casualties.

“We have cleared around 70–80% of the area,” a senior police officer said. “More bodies are expected to be recovered.” Rescue operations were still underway at the time of this report.

Images from the site show horrific scenes: thick black smoke, burning debris, and emergency crews carrying bodies from the rubble. One survivor, a student at the hostel, reportedly jumped from the second floor to escape, sustaining injuries.

Emergency Call and Technical Trouble

The plane took off from runway 23 at 1:39 p.m. local time and issued a Mayday call shortly after. Within seconds, air traffic control lost contact.

Flightradar24 confirmed it received the last signal from the aircraft moments after takeoff. The flight model — Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner — was delivered to Air India in 2014 and had no prior crash record until this incident.

Reactions from Leaders and Officials

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whose home state is Gujarat, expressed deep sorrow. “The tragedy in Ahmedabad has stunned and saddened us. It is heartbreaking beyond words,” he wrote on X.

British PM Keir Starmer and King Charles have also been briefed on the tragedy. The UK’s Foreign Office stated it is working closely with Indian authorities to provide assistance.

Gautam Adani, whose group operates Ahmedabad Airport, also issued a statement: “We are shocked and deeply saddened. Our hearts go out to the families.”

All flights at Ahmedabad Airport have been suspended.

Tata Group and Air India Response

Air India, now operated by Tata Group since 2022, has activated an emergency centre. They have set up a support team to assist families of the passengers.

“This is a day of mourning,” Tata officials said. “We will leave no stone unturned to assist those affected.”

Aviation History and Impact

This is the first-ever crash involving the Boeing 787 Dreamliner since its commercial launch in 2011. The last major fatal air crash in India occurred in 2020 when an Air India Express plane overshot a runway in Kozhikode, killing 21.

This latest disaster is expected to prompt serious reviews into flight safety, aircraft maintenance, and emergency response protocols.