London-bound Air India Flight Crashes in Ahmedabad
A London-bound Air India flight has crashed in a residential area of Ahmedabad, India, killing dozens and leaving hundreds of families across the UK and India in shock. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner, flight AI171 bound for Gatwick Airport, came down just five minutes after take-off on Thursday morning, plummeting into the Meghani Nagar district – a densely populated part of the city. There were 242 people on board, including 53 British nationals.
The Print | Visuals from Ahmedabad Air India plane crash | LIVE
Local footage aired on Indian television showed towering smoke clouds rising above the wreckage and emergency services battling fires in nearby buildings. The crash has left a profound impact on London communities, especially among the city’s large British-Indian population, with many awaiting updates on loved ones.
The aircraft, which had only just taken off at 1:38pm local time, was fully fuelled and heading west across the Arabian Sea when it lost altitude rapidly and went down in what eyewitnesses described as a “roaring nosedive.” Residents reported hearing a loud bang and ran outside to find parts of the aircraft embedded in homes.
Faiz Ahmed Kidwai, Director General of the Directorate of Civil Aviation in India, confirmed that the plane struck a block of residential buildings shortly after take-off, killing scores on the ground. He added that early indications suggested a catastrophic systems failure but stressed that full investigations were underway.
Air India said the flight manifest included 169 Indians, 53 Britons, seven Portuguese and one Canadian. The discrepancy between the 242 confirmed on board and earlier official figures is being investigated. Many of the British passengers were due to arrive at Gatwick to visit family or return to work after the Eid holiday period.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer issued a statement calling the incident “devastating,” and added, “We stand ready to assist British families affected in any way we can.”
British Cabinet Minister Lucy Powell told the House of Commons, “We send our deepest sympathy and thoughts to all those families, and the government will provide all the support it can to those in India and those here in the UK.”
The crash marks the first fatal incident involving a Boeing 787, which has been in operation since 2009. More than 1,000 Dreamliners are in use worldwide. Boeing said it was aware of the incident and was working with Indian authorities to gather more information.
In a message on social media, Air India chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran said,
“Our primary focus is on supporting the affected individuals and their families,”
and confirmed that the airline had established an emergency support centre.
India’s Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu also posted on X (formerly Twitter) that “all efforts are being made to ensure immediate medical support and relief assistance at the crash site.”
The UK has long-standing ties with India, and the crash will resonate across the British-Indian community. According to the 2021 UK Census, nearly 1.9 million residents are of Indian descent and many with family links to Gujarat and the city of Ahmedabad.
This incident follows India’s last major passenger plane disaster in 2020, when an Air India Express flight overran a runway in Kozhikode, killing 21 people. The worst aviation disaster in Indian history occurred in 1996, when a mid-air collision over Haryana killed all 349 people on two aircraft.
As the investigation unfolds, many in the UK await news of loved ones, with consular support lines and emergency teams now working to provide details.
Where to Get Help and Latest Updates
Air India has established a 24/7 emergency helpline and information service for families and friends of passengers:
- Air India UK Emergency Helpline: 0800 917 1085
- India Civil Aviation Emergency Number: +91 9650 999 999
- UK Foreign Office Consular Support: +44 (0)20 7008 5000
- Gatwick Airport General Enquiries: 01293 503747
- CAA Passenger Rights & Flight Alerts: www.caa.co.uk
Passengers and relatives are also encouraged to follow Gatwick Airport travel updates and Air India’s official website for confirmed information.
For ongoing updates on the London-bound Air India plane crash, international aviation investigations, and how events like this affect families across the UK, visit EyeOnLondon.
We’re continuing to follow the story as more details emerge and will share relevant updates, official responses, and support resources for those affected.
[Image Credit: NDTV]
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