Air India First Statement After Its Ahmedabad-London Flight With 242 Passengers Onboard Crashed

An Air India flight headed to London’s Gatwick airport crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on Thursday, June 12. The flight, AI171, had 242 passengers on board when the incident occurred.

The plane took off at 1:38 PM and crashed within five minutes near the airport. Thick smoke was seen rising from the crash site, and emergency services, including fire tenders, quickly rushed to the spot.

In its first official statement, Air India confirmed the incident and said, “Flight AI171, operating Ahmedabad-London Gatwick, was involved in an incident today, 12 June 2025. At this moment, we are ascertaining the details and will share further updates at the earliest.”

Authorities are still investigating the cause of the crash. The Gujarat State Police Control Room confirmed that the crash took place during takeoff and the flight was bound for London.

Also Read: Map Shows Exact Location Where Air India Ahmedabad-London Flight Crashed

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has taken note of the situation and spoken to Gujarat’s Chief Minister, Home Minister, and the Police Commissioner. He assured that the Central government will provide all necessary support and assistance in the aftermath of the crash.

Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel tweets, “I am deeply saddened by the incident of Air India passenger plane crash in Ahmedabad. I have instructed the officials to carry out immediate rescue and relief work and arrange for immediate treatment of the injured passengers on a war footing. I have also instructed to arrange for a green corridor to take the injured passengers for treatment and to ensure all arrangements for treatment in the hospital on priority basis. Union Home Minister Amit Shah has also spoken to me and assured full cooperation...”

To assist with the emergency, three teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) with 90 personnel were sent from Gandhinagar to Ahmedabad. Three more teams from Vadodara are also on their way. More information about the crash is still awaited.