Air India crashes after takeoff from Ahmedabad; 241 feared dead

A tragic aviation disaster struck Ahmedabad on Thursday afternoon when an Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner (VT-ANB), en route to London Gatwick, crashed shortly after takeoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport.

The aircraft was carrying 242 people — including two pilots, 10 cabin crew members, and 230 passengers.

According to officials, 169 passengers were Indian nationals, 53 were from the UK, seven were Portuguese citizens, and one Canadian was on board. In a miraculous turn of events, one person, seated in 11A, has been rescued alive and is currently undergoing treatment at a local hospital. The remaining 241 individuals are feared to have perished in the crash.

The aircraft reportedly went down in a densely populated residential area, prompting a large-scale emergency response. Ahmedabad Police Commissioner GS Malik confirmed the recovery of one survivor and said rescue operations are ongoing.

“We cannot confirm the final death toll yet. The numbers may rise,” he added.

In response to the catastrophe, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep grief, stating that the crash has “stunned and saddened everyone.”

As a safety measure, the airport has been shut down until further notice.

Tata Group, the parent company of Air India, has announced financial assistance of ₹1 crore for the families of each deceased passenger.

Boeing, the aircraft manufacturer, acknowledged the crash in a brief statement: “We are aware of initial reports and are working to gather more information.”

The company’s shares saw a sharp decline in pre-market trading.

Aviation expert John M. Cox, CEO of Safety Operating Systems, told the Associated Press that initial visual data suggests the aircraft failed to gain sufficient altitude. “It’s too early to draw conclusions, but flight data recorders on the 787 capture thousands of parameters — once recovered, investigators will have a clear picture of what went wrong.”

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner, first introduced in 2009, is widely used across global airlines, with over 1,000 aircraft in operation worldwide.

Authorities continue to assess the wreckage and investigate the cause of the crash. More updates are expected as search and recovery efforts progress.