What we now know following the Ahmedabad crash of an Air India aircraft to London

 

At least 204 people were killed Thursday when an Air India passenger plane crashed just after taking off from Ahmedabad on its way to London Gatwick.

The plane crashed in a city in western India, carrying 242 passengers and crew, including 53 British nationals.

Ahmedabad’s police chief told the BBC that 204 bodies have been recovered, while 41 injured people are receiving treatment.

G.S. Malik had earlier told news agencies that it appeared there were no survivors, and that some local residents may have also died where the plane crashed.

One passenger—a British national—was later found to have survived the collision. Details from the scene are still surfacing.

Follow live updates on this story.

British Passenger in Seat 11A Survives Indian Plane Crash

When and Where Did the Plane Crash?

Air India aircraft AI171 departed from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at 13:39 local time (08:09 GMT), according to Air India.

It was scheduled to land at London Gatwick at 18:25 BST.

The plane crashed just after departing Ahmedabad—all operations from the airport have been suspended.

According to flight tracking website FlightRadar24, the aircraft lost signal “less than a minute after takeoff.”

Flight tracking data ends with the plane at an altitude of 625 feet (190 meters).

India’s aviation authorities claimed that the plane had placed a mayday call to air traffic control. There was no response from the aircraft after that.

The collision occurred in a residential area called Meghaninagar.

Strike at Doctors’ Hostel

Police told ANI news agency that the plane struck a doctors’ hostel.

A photo taken after the crash shows dining tables and plates in the hostel’s canteen. At the far end of the room, people are gathered, inspecting a large hole in the wall, apparently caused by the impact.

A woman at the scene told ANI that her son jumped from the second floor of the hostel and was injured when the plane crashed there.

Verified footage from central Ahmedabad shows large plumes of black smoke rising into the sky.

BBC’s Roxy Gagdekar reported that people near the scene were “running to save as many lives as possible.”

He said emergency services were involved in rescue operations and trying to extinguish the fire, and that bodies were being removed from the area.

Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for India’s Ministry of External Affairs, said in a press briefing, “We have lost many people.”

Ahmedabad’s police chief G.S. Malik told the BBC that 204 people had died and 41 were injured.

It is not yet clear if all 204 were on the plane or if some were on the ground when the crash happened.

He initially said it appeared “no one survived” and that “some local people” had also died where the plane crashed. Malik later confirmed that one person, reportedly a British citizen, survived.

Who Was on Board?

According to Air India, there were 242 passengers and crew members on board.

Among the passengers were 53 British citizens, 169 Indians, one Canadian, and seven Portuguese nationals.

The aircraft—a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner—had a total of 256 seats.

The sole survivor has been identified as Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a British citizen who was seated in 11A.

Indian media quoted him saying: “Thirty seconds after takeoff, there was a loud noise and then the plane crashed. It all happened so quickly.”

The BBC spoke to a relative, Ajay Valgi, in Leicester, who said Vishwash Kumar had called the family to say he was “okay.”

Mr. Valgi said Vishwash Kumar did not know the whereabouts of his brother Ajay, who was also on the plane.

Three Britons from Gloucester—Aqeel Nanabhua, his wife Hina Voraji, and their daughter Sarah—are believed to have been on the flight. In a statement, the Gloucester Muslim Society said it was “deeply heartbroken” and expressed its “deepest condolences” to the family.

Amara Tajo, the granddaughter of a couple on board, told the BBC from her parents’ home in Blackburn how the family was “still hoping” they were alive.

72-year-old Adam Tajo and his 70-year-old wife Haseena were flying with their son-in-law, 51-year-old Altaf Hussain Patel, who lives in London with his wife.

Leicester East MP Shavani Raja told BBC News she believed a “handful of Leicester residents” were on board but emphasized she was still waiting for “official reports” to confirm the news.

She said her community, which has a large British-Gujarati population, was “really scared and devastated” by the crash.

Air India chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran said an “emergency center has been activated” and a support team has been set up for families seeking information.

Gatwick Airport said a reception center was being set up for relatives of passengers and advised British citizens concerned about friends or family to call 0207 008 5000.

What Do We Know About the Plane?

The aircraft involved was a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, and this is the first time an Air India plane of this type has crashed.

This model was launched 14 years ago. Just six weeks ago, Boeing celebrated the milestone of carrying one billion passengers on this aircraft type.

According to its website, Air India operates a fleet of more than 190 aircraft, including 58 Boeing planes.

In a statement, Boeing said: “We are in contact with Air India regarding Flight 171 and are ready to assist. Our thoughts are with the passengers, crew, first responders, and all those affected.”

Did Wing Flaps Play a Role in the Crash?

Aviation experts told the BBC that the position of the plane’s wing flaps during takeoff may have caused a problem for the aircraft. In a BBC-verified video, a large explosion is seen before the plane hits the ground.

Aviation analyst Geoffrey Thomas said, “As I’m watching it, the undercarriage is still down but the flaps have been retracted.”

Another expert, Terry Tozer, said: “It’s very hard to say for sure from the video, but it doesn’t look like the flaps were extended, which would be a clear explanation for why the plane didn’t complete takeoff properly.”

Marco Chan, a former pilot and senior lecturer at Buckinghamshire New University, said, “It would point to possible human error if the flaps were not set correctly,” but added that the video resolution was too low to confirm this.

What Have the Airline and Authorities Said?

Air India confirmed on X (formerly Twitter) that the flight “was involved in an accident after takeoff today.”

They stated they are fully cooperating with authorities investigating the crash and have set up a dedicated hotline for passenger information: 1800 5691 444.

A spokesperson for Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport said all operations have been suspended until further notice and advised travelers to check with their airline before coming to the airport.

The Tata Group, which owns Air India, announced compensation of 10 million rupees (about £86,000) for the families of each person killed in the crash.

Air India’s CEO Campbell Wilson expressed his “deep sorrow” after the incident.

In a video statement, he said, “This is a difficult day for all of us at Air India, and our efforts are now fully focused on the needs of our passengers, crew members, their families, and loved ones.”

India’s aviation minister said he had “instructed all aviation and emergency response agencies to act immediately and in coordination.”

Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu added on X: “Rescue teams have been mobilized, and all efforts are being made to ensure medical aid and relief assistance reaches the site.”

The chief minister of Gujarat said officials have been directed to “carry out rescue and relief operations immediately” and “make arrangements on a war footing.”

How Have India and the UK Responded?

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was “shocked and saddened” by the crash.

“This is heartbreaking beyond words,” he said in a statement on X, adding that he was in contact with those helping the victims.

UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the scenes emerging from Ahmedabad were “devastating.”

He said, “I am being kept updated as the situation develops, and my thoughts are with the passengers and their families at this extremely distressing time.”

Foreign Secretary David Lammy said the UK was working with local authorities in India to “establish the facts quickly” and provide assistance.

The King said he and Queen Camilla were “profoundly shocked by the dreadful events in Ahmedabad this morning” and expressed sympathy for those affected.

He added, “I particularly want to pay tribute to the heroic efforts of the emergency services and all those providing help and assistance at this most heart-breaking and distressing time.”12

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• A map showing the flight route from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick
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