Over 200 dead after Air India flight crashes in Ahmedabad

An Air India aircraft en route to London tragically crashed shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad on Thursday, killing more than 200 people in what is now considered the deadliest aviation disaster globally in the past decade.

Photograph: Amit Dave/Reuters/The Guardian

The plane, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, went down in a densely populated area, striking a doctors’ hostel at the B.J. Medical College during lunchtime. The aircraft, headed for Gatwick Airport, was carrying 242 people, including crew, according to Reuters reports.

According to Ahmedabad police chief G.S. Malik, “204 bodies had been recovered”, with expectations that some may be of individuals on the ground. No survivors have been reported so far, and the Indian Express, citing police sources, stated all passengers and crew are feared dead.

Devastation at the crash site

The impact site was described as catastrophic, with aircraft debris strewn across the area. Parts of the fuselage were embedded in the hostel building, and the plane’s tail was visibly perched atop the structure.

Footage from the scene showed thick plumes of smoke rising and fires still burning as emergency services battled to control the blaze. A senior police official shared, “The building on which it has crashed is a doctors’ hostel… we have cleared almost 70% to 80% of the area and will clear the rest soon.”

CNN News-18 reported that the aircraft struck the dining hall of the state-run medical college’s hostel, potentially claiming the lives of several medical students.

Passengers and nationalities aboard

A source informed Reuters that those on board included 217 adults, 11 children, and two infants, with nationalities spanning 169 Indians, 53 Britons, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian.

According to Flightradar24, the ill-fated aircraft was one of the most modern commercial jets in service. It was delivered to Air India in January 2014 and had made its maiden flight in 2013. This marks the first fatal crash involving a Dreamliner since its commercial debut in 2011, as per the Aviation Safety Network.

Final moments and distress call

Air traffic control confirmed the aircraft left runway 23 at 1:39 p.m. local time (0809 GMT). Shortly after, the crew issued a “Mayday” distress signal—its last known communication. The flight then vanished from radar, seconds after take-off.

Anthony Brickhouse, a U.S.-based aerospace safety consultant, noted anomalies in the aircraft’s configuration, stating: “If you didn’t know what was happening, you would think that plane was on approach to a runway.” He highlighted that the landing gear appeared to be deployed when it should have already retracted.

Witnesses in the area were left traumatised. “My sister-in-law was going to London. Within an hour, I got news that the plane had crashed,” said Poonam Patel at a local hospital. Another mother, Ramila, shared, “My son is safe, and I have spoken to him. He jumped from the second floor, so he suffered some injuries.”

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Global response and investigation underway

Boeing acknowledged early reports of the accident and confirmed it was gathering details. Shares in the aerospace giant dropped 6.8% following the news. GE Aerospace, which manufactures the aircraft’s engines, will dispatch a team to India to analyse cockpit data, according to CNBC TV18.

The UK’s Foreign Office said it was in contact with Indian authorities to determine the facts and assist those affected. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the footage as “devastating,” while King Charles said he and Queen Camilla were “desperately shocked” by the tragedy.

Indian 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 posted on X.

Modi also instructed the aviation ministry to offer full assistance to rescue and recovery efforts. Ahmedabad Airport, initially shut down after the incident, has since reopened for limited operations.

Gautam Adani, chairman of the Adani Group, which manages the airport, wrote: “We are shocked and deeply saddened by the tragedy of Air India Flight 171… We are working closely with all authorities and extending full support to the families on the ground.”

India’s worst air disaster in years

This catastrophe follows a 2020 incident involving Air India Express, when a Boeing 737 overran the runway in Kozhikode and crashed into a valley, resulting in 21 fatalities. Air India, once a state-owned airline, was acquired by Tata Group in 2022 and merged with Vistara, their joint venture with Singapore Airlines, in 2024.

As India grapples with the aftermath of this unprecedented tragedy, investigations continue into what caused one of the world’s most modern aircraft to fall from the sky within moments of take-off.