Horror in the Skies: Deadly Plane Crash Rocks Ahmedabad Minutes After Departure

On June 12, 2025, Air India Flight AI‑171, a Boeing 787‑8 Dreamliner registered VT‑ANB, crashed just minutes after lifting off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad. The aircraft, bound for London Gatwick with 242 people onboard including 230 passengers and 12 crew members sent a Mayday call at around 1:44 PM IST before communication was lost. It had climbed to approximately 625 feet when it abruptly descended into the Meghani Nagar area, a residential and institutional neighbourhood near the airport.

Local eyewitnesses and media outlets recorded harrowing scenes: a glowing fireball erupted upon impact, followed by dense smoke engulfing the crash site. The aircraft’s tail section was later discovered lodged into the roof of a nearby doctors’ hostel, part of the BJ Medical College complex.

Emergency services comprising numerous fire engines, ambulances, and rescue teams rushed to the scene, working under chaotic conditions to contain fires and evacuate survivors. Most flights were immediately halted as the airport placed operations on highest alert .

Casualty reports have been severe yet fluid. Officials confirmed multiple fatalities; by mid‑afternoon, at least 30 bodies had been officially recovered, while local hospitals were handling dozens of injured individuals, some in critical condition.

The nationalities of those onboard included 169 Indians, 53 British citizens, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian, alongside the crew.

Investigations have begun swiftly. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation and the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau dispatched recovery teams to retrieve the black boxes and assess wreckage. Boeing has acknowledged the first-ever hull loss of a Boeing 787 since its introduction and is collaborating with Indian aviation authorities.

Officials including India’s Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda and Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu, along with Air India’s chairman, have expressed profound sorrow and pledged full support to victims’ families. The UK and Canadian governments are also coordinating assistance for their nationals