Air India has confirmed that Flight 171 tragically crashed, resulting in a confirmed loss of at least 200 lives. Help has been deployed on-site near Ahmedabad, India, to assist in rescue and recovery operations involving the Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, which went down shortly after taking off on its route from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick.
Over 200 Dead After Plane Crashes at Medical College
Citing reports from local officials, The New York Times has stated that over 200 individuals have succumbed to injuries from the crash. It remains uncertain how many were passengers on the aircraft and how many were on the ground at a local medical facility. Fortunately, there has been at least one reported survivor, who escaped through an emergency exit according to Reuters.
Video footage verified by news outlets displays the Boeing 787-8 just after it took off, losing altitude before crashing in a fiery explosion. Investigators are yet to determine what caused the failure of the plane during its ascent.
The full sequence from take-off to crash—final moments of Air India 171 captured on CCTV. Clear catastrophic lack of lift just seconds after liftoff. pic.twitter.com/l6UAzZ3wtJ — Shiv Aroor (@ShivAroor) June 12, 2025
Among those onboard, the nationalities break down to 169 Indians, 53 British, 7 Portuguese, and 1 Canadian. In reaction to the incident, Boeing expressed their condolences and has sent a team to India to assist with the ongoing investigation. Additionally, President Donald Trump has pledged support from the National Transportation Safety Board for the investigation.
Via a video update released on the Air India website, CEO Campbell Wilson extended his condolences for the victims while refraining from discussing the potential cause of the crash. The airline is also arranging special flights to aid families of the affected individuals.
This is a developing story, and more information will be shared as it comes to light.
Ed. Note: The image above depicts the aircraft involved in the accident as captured in December 2024, courtesy: ZhangerAviation/CC BY-SA 4.0
