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An Air India passenger plane crashed near Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in western India's Gujarat state on Thursday.
Flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner bound for London Gatwick Airport, went down approximately five minutes after takeoff at 1:38 p.m. local time, according to Civil Aviation Director General Faiz Ahmed Kidwai. The aircraft was carrying 242 passengers and crew members, all of which are presumed death, according to AP citing a Ahmedabad city police commissioner.
Air India Chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran confirmed the tragedy in a statement on social media platform X, saying he was "deeply saddened to confirm that Air India flight 171, operating the Ahmedabad-London Gatwick service, was involved in a tragic accident today."
The airline said passengers included 169 Indian nationals, 53 British citizens, seven Portuguese nationals and one Canadian citizen. India's Civil Aviation Authority had earlier reported 244 people aboard — 232 passengers and 12 crew members — though Air India's figure of 242 appears to be the official count.
Flight tracking website FlightRadar24 indicated the aircraft's signal was lost within one minute of departure. According to media reports, the pilot issued a distress call moments before the crash, after which all contact was lost.
Images from the crash site showed thick black smoke billowing into the sky as emergency responders rushed to the scene. The aircraft went down in a densely populated area, with reports of buildings and vehicles catching fire from the impact.
Former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani was believed to be among the passengers, according to India Today, citing unnamed sources. The airport and surrounding roads were closed as emergency services including multiple fire trucks and ambulances responded to the scene.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi immediately consulted with Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu about the disaster. Modi ordered that "all necessary support be provided immediately" for rescue and relief operations and requested regular updates on the situation. Naidu traveled to Ahmedabad to oversee response efforts at the crash site.
Home Minister Amit Shah spoke with Gujarat state officials about the accident and pledged the federal government's support. Current Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel expressed "great sorrow" over the tragedy and ordered priority arrangements for treating any injured passengers at hospitals.
Authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the crash. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner had previously operated regular routes between India and cities including Paris, Frankfurt, Tokyo, Amsterdam and Melbourne, according to flight records.
Gatwick Airport confirmed the flight was scheduled to arrive in London at 6:25 p.m. local time. Air India established a support team for families seeking information about passengers.
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