Air India Flight Crashes After Takeoff from Ahmedabad, Killing at Least 290

Ahmedabad, India – June 12, 2025 — An Air India flight bound for London crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad on Thursday, killing at least 290 people in one of India’s deadliest aviation disasters in decades.

The aircraft, identified as Air India Flight 171, was carrying 230 passengers and 12 crew members when it went down shortly after departing from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at 1:38 p.m. local time. According to aviation tracking service Flightradar24, the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner lost signal at an altitude of just 625 feet less than a minute after takeoff.

Officials confirmed that the plane crashed into a residential hostel on the campus of BJ Medical College and Hospital, which housed medical staff and students. Among the dead are passengers, including minors, as well as local residents and individuals inside the hostel at the time of impact.

A senior doctor at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital said that at least 290 fatalities have been confirmed. Rescue efforts are ongoing, and authorities fear the toll may rise as search operations continue.

Remarkably, one passenger survived the crash. Indian Home Minister Amit Shah confirmed the survivor had been hospitalized and identified him as Vishwashkumar Ramesh. “I met the survivor personally and was moved by his strength,” Shah said during a press briefing.

The Federation of All India Medical Association reported that between 50 and 60 students have been hospitalized, while several residents and their relatives are still unaccounted for. One resident’s wife has been confirmed dead.

Air India spokesperson Ravi Wilson provided further details on the flight’s passenger list, which included 169 Indian nationals, 53 British citizens, seven Portuguese nationals, and one Canadian.

Boeing, the aircraft’s manufacturer, released a statement on X (formerly Twitter), saying, “We are in contact with Air India and stand ready to support them. Our thoughts are with the passengers, crew, first responders, and all affected.” The incident adds to a troubling series of safety concerns that have plagued Boeing in recent years.

Investigators from India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau are currently on-site and have launched a formal inquiry into the cause of the crash.