Ahmedabad, June 13, 2025 – A devastating plane crash in Ahmedabad has left the nation mourning, with an Air India flight, AI-171, bound for London Gatwick, crashing shortly after takeoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, carrying 242 passengers and crew, plummeted into a residential area in Meghaninagar, killing 241 people on board, with only one survivor, and claiming at least 24 lives on the ground, according to local authorities.
Among the victims was a family of five from Rajasthan, including Dr. Komi Vyas and her husband, Dr. Prateek Joshi, both respected physicians, along with their three young children. Moments before the tragedy, the family captured a joyful selfie on the plane, a heartbreaking image now circulating widely. The photo, showing the couple seated across the aisle from their children, has become a poignant symbol of the lives lost.
The flight departed Ahmedabad at 1:38 p.m. on June 12, 2025, but issued a Mayday call seconds later. CCTV footage verified by the Associated Press captured the aircraft’s brief ascent before it crashed into a doctors’ hostel near the airport, sparking a massive fireball. The impact killed four medical students and a doctor’s wife at B J Medical College, as confirmed by Dr. Minakshi Parikh, the college dean.
Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a 40-year-old British national seated in 11A near an emergency exit, miraculously survived with minor injuries, police reported to The Independent. The crash also claimed prominent figures, including former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani.
Rescue operations, involving 150 CRPF personnel and the National Disaster Response Force, faced challenges due to dense smoke. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has launched an investigation, with one of the plane’s black boxes recovered. Aviation experts suggest possible causes such as overloading, a bird strike, or dual engine failure, pending analysis of the flight data and cockpit voice recorder.
Tata Group, Air India’s parent company, announced Rs 1 crore in compensation for the families of each victim, with Chairman N. Chandrasekaran expressing profound grief on X. Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the crash site, and the UK High Commission is collaborating with local authorities to support affected families, as stated on X. Air India has deployed caregivers to assist in Ahmedabad, and the nation grieves alongside the victims’ loved ones.