NewzVille Desk
In a tragic incident, an Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner, operating flight AI-171 from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, crashed into a residential area in Meghani Nagar just minutes after takeoff at 1:38 PM. The aircraft was carrying 242 people.
Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel expressed deep anguish over the accident and directed officials to launch immediate rescue and relief operations. He said thatHome Minister Amit Shah had taken stock of the situation and assured full support from the central government. A green corridor has been established to transport the injured to nearby hospitals on priority. Emergency medical services across the city have been activated, and hospitals placed on high alert to receive casualties from the crash site.
According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the aircraft lost contact shortly after departure and crashed within five minutes of takeoff. The flight was piloted by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal and First Officer Clive Kundar.
Onboard were 230 adult passengers, two infants, and 12 crew members. Thick smoke and flames were visible from a distance, and the impact caused serious damage to structures in Meghani Nagar. Residents were seen assisting in initial rescue efforts.
Fire brigade teams arrived at the scene with three fire engines, supported by police and local authorities. Gujarat Police confirmed the site of the crash to be approximately 15 kilometres from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport.
Air India acknowledged the incident on X, saying: “Flight AI171, operating from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, was involved in an incident. We are ascertaining details and will share further updates.” The airline has not released information on casualties yet.
Air India confirms that flight AI171, from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, was involved in an accident today after take-off.
The flight, which departed from Ahmedabad at 1338 hrs, was carrying 242 passengers and crew members on board the Boeing 787-8 aircraft. Of these, 169 are…
— Air India (@airindia) June 12, 2025
Minister of Civil Aviation Ram Mohan Naidu, who was attending NDA Government’s first anniversary events in Vijayawada, immediately curtailed his engagements and rushed to Ahmedabad. He is en route to personally oversee the situation at the crash site.
The Civil Aviation Ministry said the Minister is in constant contact with senior officials from DGCA, Airports Authority of India (AAI), NDRF, and the Gujarat administration. A coordinated response is underway to prioritise rescue operations and medical aid.
Three NDRF teams have reached the location and are supporting fire and emergency services. Injured passengers are being transported to hospitals as rescue workers continue combing the debris. A DGCA-led team will investigate the cause of the incident.
Tragic incident…
Absolutely. Omm Shanti