A devastating aviation tragedy has unfolded in India.

Air India Flight AI171, en route from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, has crashed just moments after takeoff — leaving behind plumes of thick black smoke and a stunned global aviation community.

According to Indian authorities, the jet was carrying 242 people, including 232 passengers and 12 crew members. According to the airline, 53 British nationals were on board the Air India flight when it crashed.

The aircraft went down in a densely populated residential area known as Meghani Nagar, just outside Ahmedabad Airport in Gujarat, Indian Civil Aviation Director General Faiz Ahmed Kidwai confirmed to the Associated Press.

Sky News and flight tracking platform Flightradar24 both reported the jet lost contact just seconds after it lifted off. The tragic incident occurred around 1:38 p.m. local time, according to Sky News. Within moments, emergency responders rushed to the scene as towering smoke columns marked the crash site.

A huge trail of smoke
Shocking images and videos posted on social media show debris scattered across buildings, with sections of the plane’s fuselage and tail visible amidst the wreckage.

Indian Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu responded swiftly, saying: “I am personally monitoring the situation and have directed all aviation and emergency response agencies to take swift and coordinated action. Rescue teams have been mobilized, and all efforts are being made to ensure medical aid and relief support are being rushed to the site. My thoughts and prayers are with all those on board and their families.”

Videos circulating on social media claim to show the Air India plane crash.

Gatwick-bound plane crashes in India with 242 on board

Follow the latest ⬇️https://t.co/P2crOfS2Ul pic.twitter.com/KGJkxDBpY5

— The Telegraph (@Telegraph) June 12, 2025

Air India’s chairman N. Chandrasekaran issued a somber statement:

“With profound sorrow I confirm that Air India flight, AI171 operating Ahmedabad 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. At this moment, our primary focus is on supporting all the affected people and their families.

We are doing everything in our power to assist the emergency response teams at the site and to provide all necessary support and care to those impacted. Further updates will be shared as we receive more verified information. An emergency centre has been activated and support teams have been set up for families.”

A Boeing Dreamliner
Gatwick Airport also confirmed that flight AI171 was due to land at 6:25 p.m. local time in the UK but acknowledged the crash occurred during departure from India.

Aviation expert Julian Bray told Daily Mail:

“It’s a Boeing Dreamliner that has gone down—not certain whether they’ve managed to get anybody off the plane. If it has indeed crash-landed and they can deploy the chutes out, then they should be able to get people off in 90 seconds. I am aware there are fire appliances in attendance—this is a major incident. It is very disappointing that it is a Dreamliner as it is a state-of-the-art Boeing. We cannot rule out security issues. But this is all speculation on my part.”

Although weather conditions were reported to be clear with light winds at the time, the cause of the crash remains under investigation.

All passengers on board are feared dead, with the exception of one survivor, according to Ahmedabad police. Media outlets have identified the sole survivor as 40-year-old Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a British-Indian man who lives in London. He had traveled to Ahmedabad to visit relatives and was accompanied by his brother, who was also on the ill-fated flight.

Ramesh told the Hindustan Times that just moments after takeoff—about thirty seconds in—a loud noise rang out before the aircraft plummeted. “It all happened so quickly,” he recalled.

Although he suffered several impact injuries, including bruises to his chest, eyes, and feet, Ramesh remained alert and aware after the crash.

Still clutching his boarding pass, Ramesh described the harrowing scene:
“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.”

The crash marks yet another tragedy in a string of incidents involving Boeing jets in recent years. In 2018, 189 lives were lost aboard Lion Air flight 610 in Indonesia, followed by 157 fatalities in the Ethiopian Airlines crash in 2019.

Air India posted a brief update on X:

“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.”

This is a developing story. More updates will follow as authorities release further information.