Footage shows smoke billowing from the crash site near the airport in Ahmedabad
A London-bound Air India flight with 244 passengers on board has crashed near an airport in India’s northwestern city of Ahmedabad.
The Air India flight AI 171 was heading towards Gatwick from Ahmedabad Airport, officially Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, when it crashed minutes after take-off on Thursday.
The aircraft had 244 people on board, from India, Britain, Portugal and Canada, Air India said.
It added that there were fifty-three British nationals on the flight.
The aircraft was due to land at Gatwick Airport at 6.25pm on Thursday.
Air India’s chairman, Natarajan Chandrasekaran, described the incident as a “tragic accident” and a “devastating event” and said emergency response teams are at the site.
Firefighters work at the site of the plane crash
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said, “The scenes emerging of a London-bound plane carrying many British nationals crashing in the Indian city of Ahmedabad are devastating”, adding he was being kept updated as the situation develops.
The King is also being kept updated on the developing situation, Buckingham Palace said.
Faiz Ahmed Kidwai, director general of India’s directorate of civil aviation, told the Associated Press the crash happened in the Meghani Nagar area at 1.38pm local time (9.08am BST).
There were 232 passengers and 12 crew members on board, Kidwai said.
Visuals on local television channels showed smoke billowing from the crash site.
FlightRadar, which provides real-time tracking of flights, said it received the last signal from the aircraft shortly after take-off.
It is the first crash ever of a Boeing 787 aircraft, according to the Aviation Safety Network database.
A spokesperson for Air India said: “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.”
The Foreign Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO) has established a phone number for those who are concerned about friends and family.
A message on its website reads: We are aware of a plane crash in Ahmedabad. The UK is working with local authorities in India to urgently establish the facts. British nationals who require consular assistance or have concerns about friends or family should call 020 7008 5000.
This is a developing story and will be updated
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