On June 12, 2025, Air India Flight AI 171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner bound for London’s Gatwick Airport, crashed into a residential area of Ahmedabad, India, just five minutes after takeoff, killing 242 passengers and crew and an unknown number of locals.

The tragedy, the first crash of a Boeing 787, unfolded at 1:38 p.m. local time in Meghani Nagar, where the plane slammed into a doctors’ hostel, sparking a fireball and plumes of black smoke.

As rescue teams comb through debris, world leaders and survivors grapple with the scale of loss, while questions about the crash’s cause loom large.

“It appears there are no survivors in the plane crash,” Ahmedabad Police Commissioner G.S. Malik told The Associated Press, noting that “some locals would have also died” in the residential area with offices.

One survivor, British passenger Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, recounted the horror:

“Thirty seconds after take-off, there was a loud noise and then the plane crashed. It all happened so quickly.”

The flight carried 169 Indian nationals, 53 Britons, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian, with 217 adults, 11 children, and two infants among them.

The crash site, a hostel for medical students, saw at least 50 students hospitalized and 204 bodies recovered, though it’s unclear how many were passengers versus residents.

“The building on which it has crashed is a doctors’ hostel... we have cleared almost 70% to 80% of the area and will clear the rest soon,” a senior police officer told Reuters.

A local woman described her son’s escape:

“He survived by jumping from the second floor window.”

World leaders expressed grief. “The tragedy in Ahmedabad has stunned and saddened us,” Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on X.

“It is heartbreaking beyond words.” British Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the scenes “devastating,” adding, “I am being kept updated as the situation develops, and my thoughts are with the passengers and their families.”

King Charles, “desperately shocked,” mourned the loss, noting 53 Britons and one Canadian aboard. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, devastated, said, “My thoughts are with the loved ones of everyone on board.”

Air India and its owner, Tata Group, moved quickly. “With profound sorrow I confirm that Air India Flight 171 was involved in a tragic accident today,” Chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran posted on X.

“Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with the families and loved ones.” CEO Campbell Wilson expressed “deep sorrow,” saying, “This is a difficult day for all of us at Air India and our efforts now are focused entirely on the needs of our passengers, crew members, their families and loved ones.”

Tata pledged 1 crore rupees (£86,000) to families of the deceased and support for rebuilding the hostel.

The plane issued a “Mayday” call before losing contact, reaching just 625 feet, per Flightradar24.

“We received the last signal from the aircraft at 08:08:51 UTC, just seconds after takeoff,” the site posted on X.

Boeing, facing its first 787 crash, said, “We are in contact with Air India regarding Flight 171 and stand ready to support them.”

India’s Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu, on “highest alert,” vowed:

“Rescue teams have been mobilized, and all efforts are being made to ensure medical aid and relief support.”

Ahmedabad’s airport, handling 11 million passengers in 2024, suspended operations. “The scenes are apocalyptic,” one X user posted, reflecting the global shock.

As investigators probe wing flap issues and other causes, the crash—a rare event in India’s strict aviation system—marks a grim milestone. “No words can adequately express the grief we feel at this moment,” Tata Group stated, echoing a world in mourning.

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