AHMEDABAD, India – A tragic aviation disaster has claimed the lives of at least 265 people after an Air India flight crashed shortly after take-off, striking a densely populated residential area in Ahmedabad on Thursday afternoon, 13 June 2025.
The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner was en route to London’s Gatwick Airport with 242 people on board, including passengers and crew. Moments after take-off, the aircraft issued a mayday call before losing altitude and crashing into a neighbourhood near the airport. The force of the impact destroyed multiple buildings, including a medical staff hostel and a student canteen where lunch was being served.
Authorities confirmed that at least 265 bodies had been recovered by Friday. This figure includes people who were on the ground at the time of the crash. The final death toll may still rise as search teams continue to recover bodies and remains from the rubble.
One man survived the fiery crash. He is a British national of Indian origin and is currently receiving medical care. His identity has been shared by local media, and his family has spoken publicly, expressing disbelief at his survival.
Rescue teams, accompanied by sniffer dogs, have been working tirelessly to comb through the wreckage. Deputy Police Commissioner Kanan Desai confirmed the current death count, while Home Minister Amit Shah stated that the official figure would be finalised after DNA testing. Families of those who may have been on board, including those residing overseas, have been contacted and are being asked to provide DNA samples to assist in identification.
The crash left entire families shattered. At an emergency centre in the city, grieving relatives arrived to provide samples and seek news. One man said his cousin, who was travelling with his wife and three-year-old daughter, had made a final phone call shortly before take-off to say that everything was fine. That call would be the last time they heard from him.
The aircraft crashed less than a minute after departing, having reached only about 100 metres in altitude. The impact was so severe that the tail section lodged into the upper level of a residential building, while the front of the plane struck the canteen.
Ahmedabad, located in the state of Gujarat, is a busy urban centre home to around eight million people. The airport is surrounded by residential areas, which contributed to the high number of ground casualties. A local doctor who witnessed the incident said the aircraft crashed into buildings where medical professionals lived with their families.
Air India confirmed that the flight carried 169 Indian nationals, 53 British citizens, seven Portuguese passengers, one Canadian and 12 crew members. The airline has pledged to support affected families through its parent company, Tata Group, which announced compensation of 10 million rupees for the families of each person who lost their life. Additional support is being provided for those injured.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the crash as a national tragedy and offered his condolences to all those affected. Boeing, the aircraft manufacturer, has stated that it is working closely with Air India and Indian authorities. This is the first known crash involving a Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
International support has also been mobilised. Air accident investigation teams from the United Kingdom and the United States are being sent to assist Indian investigators.
India has experienced several serious aviation accidents in its history. One of the deadliest occurred in 1996 when two jets collided mid-air over New Delhi, resulting in nearly 350 deaths. Another major incident happened in 2010 when an Air India Express flight crashed at Mangalore airport, killing 158 people.
Experts caution against drawing early conclusions about the cause of Thursday’s crash. However, some have suggested the possibility of a double engine failure, potentially due to a bird strike, as a likely explanation.
India’s aviation sector has seen rapid growth in recent years. With a population of 1.4 billion and a growing economy, the country now ranks as the fourth-largest air travel market in the world. The International Air Transport Association projects that India will become the third-largest within the next decade.
As the nation mourns this heartbreaking loss, efforts continue to uncover the truth behind the crash and bring closure to the families of those who perished.
