A senior police official in Ahmedabad said 269 bodies had been taken to the main hospital, including people who were at the hostel where the plane crashed.
Published Jun 13, 2025 | 9:14 AM ⚊ Updated Jun 13, 2025 | 9:16 AM
The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, bound for London, had 242 passengers and 10 crew members on board.
Synopsis: Air India confirmed that 241 people of the 242 aboard flight AI171, operating from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, were killed in the accident.
Air India confirmed late on Thursday, 12 June, that 241 people of the 242 aboard flight AI171, operating from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, were killed in the accident.
It said the 12-year-old Boeing 787-8 aircraft departed at 1.38 pm on Thursday, carrying 230 passengers and 12 crew, and crashed shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport.
The company, in a statement on X, said the sole survivor is being treated in a hospital. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi landed at the Ahmedabad airport on Friday morning to review the situation.
A senior police official in Ahmedabad said 269 bodies had been taken to the main hospital, including people who were at the hostel where the plane crashed.
The passengers comprised 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese nationals and one Canadian national. The survivor, 40-year-old Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, is a British national of Indian origin and was travelling with his brother.
“Air India offers its deepest condolences to the families of the deceased. Our efforts now are focused entirely on the needs of all those affected, their families and loved ones,” the company said.
“A team of caregivers from Air India is now in Ahmedabad to provide additional support. Air India is giving its full cooperation to the authorities investigating this incident,” it added.
Ahmedabad Police Commissioner GS Malik had confirmed to a news agency that the survivor was located at seat 11A and remains under medical care.
Meanwhile, Air India set up Friends & Relatives Assistance Centres at Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Delhi and Gatwick airports to provide support and take care of the needs of the families and loved ones of those on flight AI171.
“These centres are facilitating the travel of family members to Ahmedabad. Dedicated passenger hotline number for those calling from within India: 1800 5691 444; and those calling from outside India: +91 8062779200,” it said.
Union Minister of Civil Aviation Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu said a formal investigation has been initiated by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), in line with international protocols set by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).
“Additionally, the Government is constituting a high-level committee comprising experts from multiple disciplines to examine the matter in detail. The committee will work to strengthen aviation safety and prevent such incidents in future,” he said.
After meeting the sole survivor of the crash in hospital, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said none of the other passengers could be saved.
“Due to the huge amount of fuel at 1.25 lakh litre and high temperature from the explosion, no one could be rescued,” he said. He added that DNA tests were being carried out to confirm the identities of the 241 victims.
Rakesh S Joshi, the medical superintendent at Civil Hospital at Ahmedabad, said that 60 injured were brought to the hospital and 22 of them have been discharged, reported The Hindu.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil.)
