A devastating air disaster unfolded Thursday afternoon when Air India Flight 171, en route to London Gatwick Airport, crashed shortly after takeoff in Ahmedabad, a densely populated city in northwestern India. Officials have confirmed there were no known survivors among the 244 passengers and crew.
The aircraft, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, went down just five minutes after departing Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at 1:38 p.m. local time. The crash occurred in the Meghani Nagar residential area, not far from the airport, causing widespread destruction and triggering a large emergency response.
Plumes of black smoke rose above the neighborhood as firefighters and first responders rushed to the scene. Television footage showed the aircraft’s tail cone wedged into the upper floors of a building, and parts of the wreckage smoldering amid debris. Fire crews worked tirelessly to extinguish flames that threatened adjacent buildings, some of which included residential apartments and office spaces.
The impact was so intense that the bodies of victims were found charred and scattered, with responders seen carrying remains away on stretchers. Police Commissioner G.S. Malik told the Associated Press, “It appears there are no survivors in the plane crash. As the plane fell in a residential area, locals may have also perished.”
The crash site included a medical college hostel, where the aircraft reportedly struck a dining area. It is still unclear whether any students were inside at the time of the incident.
Air India confirmed that 242 passengers and crew were aboard the flight. Among them were 169 Indian nationals, 53 British citizens, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian. However, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation listed the number on board as 244, and officials have not yet reconciled the discrepancy.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who hails from Gujarat, described the crash as “heartbreaking beyond words,” offering condolences to the families affected. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and King Charles III also expressed shock and grief over the tragedy. Starmer noted the “devastating” loss, while the King and Queen Camilla offered “special prayers and deepest possible sympathy” for those grieving across multiple nations.
Indian Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu said all efforts were underway to provide medical assistance and support. The Indian Army has been deployed to assist with rescue efforts and debris removal.
The incident marks the first-ever crash of a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, a widebody twin-engine aircraft introduced in 2009. Over 1,000 Dreamliners are currently in service globally. Boeing released a statement confirming it was aware of the crash and was “working to gather more information.”
Aviation safety expert John M. Cox emphasized the 787’s advanced flight data monitoring systems would allow investigators to quickly identify the cause once the flight data recorder is recovered. “It’s too early to know anything definitive,” he said.
Air India’s chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran said the airline’s “primary focus is on supporting all affected people and their families.” A special emergency support center has been established for families seeking information.
