Topline
An Air India plane with more than 200 passengers on board crashed near the Ahmedabad airport in the state of Gujarat in Western India on Thursday shortly after takeoff.
File Photo: An Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad, … More
Key Facts
According to a statement released by Air India, Flight AI171 operating from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick airport “was involved in an incident.”
Local news reports said the plane was a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, and it crashed shortly after taking off from the airport, although details about the cause and number of fatalities are unknown.
The director general of India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation told the Associated Press that 232 passengers and 12 crew members were believed to be onboard and emergency teams are responding to the crash site.
According to FlightRadar24, initial flight data shows the plane climbed to an “barometric altitude of 625 feet” before quickly descending at a speed of 475 feet per minute.
The flight tracking platform reported that the Boeing 787-8 involved in the incident was delivered to the airline back in 2014.
London Gatwick Airport also confirmed that “the AI171 that crashed on departure from Ahmedabad Airport today was due to land at London Gatwick at 18:25” local time on Thursday.
What Have Indian Officials Said About The Incident?
In a statement on X, India’s Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu said: “Shocked and devastated to learn about the flight crash in Ahmedabad. We are on highest alert…Rescue teams have been mobilised, 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.”
Tangent
Boeing shares nosedived sharply in premarket trading as news of the crash emerged. The plane maker’s stock was down 7.15% to $198.70, early on Thursday. The company has not yet commented on the crash.
This is a developing story.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2025/06/12/air-india-plane-with-more-than-200-onboard-crashes-near-airport-in-western-india/