Ahmedabad: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 12 spoke to Union Civil Aviation Minister Rammohan Naidu and Home Minister Amit Shah, and took stock of the crash incident in Ahmedabad involving an Air India flight bound for London, according to sources.
The Civil Aviation Minister informed the Prime Minister that he is rushing to Ahmedabad to oversee rescue and relief operations on the ground, the Civil Aviation Ministry said.
As per sources, the PM has asked both ministers to rush to Ahmedabad and ensure all possible assistance is extended to those affected in the wake of the air mishap
The Prime Minister has directed the Minister to ensure all necessary support is extended immediately and asked to be kept regularly updated on the situation, they said.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has also spoken to the Gujarat Chief Minister and promised all Central assistance.
Air India on Thursday confirmed that flight AI171 with destination to Gatwick in London, was involved in an accident today after take-off from the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
“Air India confirms that flight AI171, from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, was involved in an accident today after take-off. The flight, which departed from Ahmedabad at 1338 hours, was carrying 242 passengers and crew members on board the Boeing 787-8 aircraft. Of these, 169 are Indian nationals, 53 are British nationals, 1 Canadian national and 7 Portuguese nationals. The injured are being taken to the nearest hospitals. We have also set up a dedicated passenger hotline number, 1800 5691 444, to provide more information. Air India is giving its full cooperation to the authorities investigating this incident,” the Airline said
The Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, Ahmedabad, is currently not operational, and all flight operations are temporarily suspended until further notice, the airport said.
All relevant agencies are on high alert, and coordinated efforts are underway as per a statement by the office of HMCA.
The Air India plane from Ahmedabad to London with 242 passengers crashed in the Meghaninagar area near Ahmedabad airport early today.
Confirming the incident, Air India said that Flight AI171, operating Ahmedabad-London Gatwick, was involved in the incident.
An Air India plane from Ahmedabad to London with 242 passengers crashed in the Meghaninagar area near Ahmedabad airport. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation said that a team has been rushed to the spot for investigation.
“On 12th Jun, 2025, Air India B787 Aircraft VT-ANB, while operating flight AI-171 from Ahmedabad to Gatwick, has crashed immediately after takeoff from Ahmedabad. There were 242 people on board the aircraft, consisting of 2 pilots and 10 cabin crew,” said a senior DGCA official.
The aircraft was under the command of Capt Sumeet Sabharwal with First Officer Clive Kundar. Capt Sumeet Sabharwal is an LTC with 8200 hours of experience. The copilot had 1100 hours of flying experience, the official further added.
As per ATC, the aircraft departed from Ahmedabad at 1339 IST (0809 UTC) from runway 23. It gave a mayday Call to ATC, but thereafter, no response was given by the aircraft to the calls made by ATC.
Aircraft immediately after departure from Runway 23, fell on the ground outside the airport perimeter. Heavy black smoke was seen coming from the accident site, said the official. (ANI)
