Ahmedabad Plane Crash Live News : On June 12, 2025, Air India Flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner registered VT‑ANB, bound for London Gatwick, crashed in a residential area of Meghani Nagar, Ahmedabad, seconds after takeoff, at approximately 1:38 p.m. IST. This heart-wrenching tragedy marks the first fatal incident involving a Boeing 787 aircraft.
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✈️ Ahmedabad Plane Crash: Air India Boeing 787 Flight AI171 Goes Down Minutes After Takeoff
Location → Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Airport → Meghani Nagar
Ahmedabad Plane Crash 2025 Quick Facts
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Date & Time | June 12 2025, 13:38 IST |
| Flight | AI171, Ahmedabad → London Gatwick |
| Aircraft | Boeing 787‑8 Dreamliner (VT‑ANB) |
| People on Board | 230 passengers, 12 crew |
| Nationalities | 169 Indians, 53 British, 7 Portuguese, 1 Canadian |
| Casualties | At least 133 confirmed dead — over 30 bodies recovered on site |
| First Fatal Boeing 787 Crash | Yes |
| Distress Signal | Pilot issued “MAYDAY” call; lost contact seconds later |
| Crash Site | Collided with doctor’s hostel near BJ Medical College — engulfed in fireball |
Tragic Moment & Eyewitness Accounts
Eyewitnesses in Meghani Nagar saw a low-flying aircraft struggling to climb. Within seconds, it crashed into a doctor’s hostel, unleashing a massive explosion and a cloud of thick black smoke. TEARS ran down faces as rescue teams rushed in, battling flames intensified by the fully fueled plane.
✈️ Crew & Flight Profile
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Captain Sumeet Sabharwal (8,200 flight hours) and First Officer Clive Kundar (1,100 hours) were at the controls.
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The MAYDAY call was received immediately after departure from Runway 23. Afterward, ATC attempts received no answer.
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Radar data (Flightradar24) shows the aircraft climbed only to around 625 ft before plummeting.
Technical Timeline
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13:38 IST: Flight takes off from Runway 23—fully fueled for Gatwick.
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Crews had to retract landing gear and climb—but ignition of a deadly fireball occurred at low altitude.
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A MAYDAY distress call went out, but the plane lost lift, dropped, and crashed within seconds .
Rescue Efforts
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Firefighters, ambulances, NDRF and BSF teams responded swiftly. Ahmedabad fire department deployed five fire engines and numerous ambulances.
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Rescue teams recovered 30–35 bodies so far. Many trapped under rubble, rescue and medical operations remain underway.
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The disaster zone was sealed off; flights temporarily suspended at Ahmedabad airport.
National & Global Response
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PM Narendra Modi described it as “heart-breaking beyond words.” He coordinated rescue efforts with home and aviation ministries.
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Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu said, “We are on highest alert. I am personally monitoring the situation”.
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International condolences came from UK PM Keir Starmer, expressing grief over the 53 British citizens aboard.
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Air India initiated an emergency operations center and promised accurate updates and support to families.
Aftermath: Boeing, Airline & Operations
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Boeing shares plunged ~7–9% in pre-market trading following the crash — spotlighting serious concerns for modern jet safety.
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Ahmedabad airport shut down for investigation and cleanup. Flight suspensions expected for hours .
Investigation Underway
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The DGCA, AAIB, Boeing technical teams, and Air India investigators are collaborating on-site.
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Black box recorders and CVR/FDR will be retrieved for analysis.
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Early expert analysis points to low-altitude lift/thrust failure; bird strikes or configuration errors may be involved .
Historical Context & Significance
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This disaster is the first-ever fatal crash involving a Boeing 787 since its commercial debut in 2011 — a serious setback for Boeing’s safety record.
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India’s worst aviation tragedy since Air India Express Flight 1344 in 2020 — and Air India’s first hull loss since the 1985 Flight 182 bombing.
