Ahmedabad: An Air India plane bound for London crashed into a doctors’ residential quarters near Ahmedabad airport on Thursday afternoon, June 12, soon after taking off.
After hours of intensive search operations, the airline confirmed that all 242 people on board, including passengers, pilots, and cabin crew, were declared dead, with only one survivor found.
Miraculously, 40-year-old Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, who was seated at 11 A, survived the crash. A video of him walking with his boarding pass, with no major visible injuries, has gone viral on social media platforms.
Vishwash Kumar Ramesh is a British national and was on a visit to India for a few days with his 45-year-old brother, Ajay Kumar Ramesh, who did not survive, Hindustan Times (HT) reported.
“When I got up, there were bodies all around me. I was scared. I stood up and ran. There were pieces of the plane all around me. Someone grabbed hold of me and put me in an ambulance and brought me to the hospital,” Vishwash was quoted by HT.
“The police found one survivor in seat 11A. One survivor has been found in the hospital and is under treatment. Cannot say anything about the number of deaths yet. The death toll may increase as the flight crashed in a residential area,” Ahmedabad police commissioner GS Malik was quoted by ANI.
Earlier, the top cop did not rule out the possibility of survivors. “We have retrieved 204 bodies so far,” he told reporters.
The Air India plane crashed at the government-run BJ Medical College in Meghaninagar. At that time, students were eating lunch.
The directorate general of civil aviation informed that the plane was a Boeing 787 Dreamliner carrying 242 passengers with two pilots and 10 cabin crew. It took off around 1:47 pm and crashed minutes after. The aircraft was under the command of Captain Sumeet Sabharwal with First Officer Clive Kundar.
There were 169 Indians, 53 British, one Canadian and seven Portuguese nationals onboard.
“Flight AI171, operating Ahmedabad-London Gatwick, was involved in an incident today, 12 June 2025. At this moment, we are ascertaining the details and will share further updates at the earliest on http://airindia.com and on our X handle,” Air India posted on X.
Pilot issued Mayday distress call
The pilot of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner issued a ‘Mayday’ distress call, denoting a full emergency, soon after takeoff, the Air Traffic Control at Ahmedabad said.
In a video recorded by a resident, the twin-engine wide-bodied aircraft could be seen losing altitude rapidly and crashing in a ball of fire that sent plumes of thick black smoke spiralling up in the air.
Emergency responders reached the site promptly and have launched intensive rescue, evacuation, and firefighting operations.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Union Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu and took stock of the plane crash at the Ahmedabad airport.
According to Indian Express, this is the first-ever crash of a Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft globally. The aircraft reportedly lost contact at an altitude of just 625 feet and then descended with a vertical speed of 475 feet per minute.
Visuals showed mangled metal of the wreckage, snarls of tangled wire and smoke rising from the charred remnants. Charred bodies were being pulled out, and the injured, many with burns, were wheeled into the city’s civil hospital close by.
Students were eating lunch when plane crashed: Witnesses
Witnesses say that students of the medical college were eating lunch when the ill-fated plane crashed into the building. Twenty undergraduate medical students have been admitted to a civil hospital, local reports suggest.
There are several five-floor buildings which serve as residential quarters. Many people in those apartments were injured as the buildings also caught fire, witness Haresh Shah told PTI. Another witness said several cars and vehicles parked in the premises also caught fire.
Flight operations resumes
All flight operations have resumed after being temporarily suspended at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport here following the crash, the Union civil aviation ministry released a statement.
The ministry has also activated an Operational Control Room to coordinate all details. Contact: 011-24610843 | 9650391859
Air India announces two relief flights
Air India has announced it will operate two special relief flights, one each from Delhi and Mumbai, to Ahmedabad to assist the next of kin of passengers and crew members affected by the tragic crash.
Flight from Delhi to Ahmedabad (IX1555) will depart from Delhi at 11:00 pm on June 12, and the return flight, from Ahmedabad to Delhi (IX1556) will leave at 1:10 am on June 13.
Similarly, flight from Mumbai to Ahmedabad (AI1402) will depart from Mumbai at 11:00 pm on June 12, and the return flight, from Ahmedabad to Mumbai (AI1409) will leave at 1:15 am on June 13.
“For next of kin in Delhi and Mumbai, call: 1800 5691 444 to book seats or get assistance and for those arriving from international locations, can contact: +91 8062779200 for support,” Air India said on its latest post.
Air India will release further information via regular updates on our X handle (https://x.com/airindia) and on http://airindia.com.
Earlier, Air India Chairman N Chandrasekaran said the airline is doing everything to assist the emergency response teams at the plane crash site and will provide all necessary support to those impacted by the mishap. “With profound sorrow, I confirm that Air India flight AI 171 operating from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick was involved in a tragic accident today. Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with the families and loved ones of all those affected by this devastating event,” Chandrasekaran, who is also Tata Group Chairman, said in a statement.
Chandrasekaran said an emergency centre has been activated and support teams have been set up for families seeking information.
A dedicated passenger hotline number 1800 5691 444 and another for foreign nationals: +91 8062779200 have been added, Air India released a statement.
Working with local authorities: UK High Commission in India
The British High Commission in India said it is working with local authorities to urgently establish the facts and provide support. “We are aware that a flight from Ahmedabad to London has crashed near Ahmedabad airport. We are working with local authorities to urgently establish the facts and provide support. Our thoughts are with all those affected,” the British High Commission here said in a brief statement on its official X handle.
In its post, the High Commission also shared a link to its travel advisory.
Gujarat govt announces helpline numbers
Furthermore, the additional chief secretary of Gujarat’s Health and Family Welfare Department, Dhananjay Dwivedi, told reporters that atleast 50 people were injured after a plane crashed at the residential area, including the hospital’s students’ hostel.
“They are in a serious but stable condition,” he said.
To help identify victims, authorities have arranged for DNA testing at BJ Medical College. Families of passengers, especially parents and children, have been urged to visit the facility and submit their DNA samples.
For any inquiries or assistance, the civil hospital has issued two helpline numbers: 6357373831 and 6357373841.
(With PTI inputs)
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