𝗡𝗘𝗪𝗦: "Air India flight to London crashes in Ahmedabad with 242 aboard" by Bridget Berin

Published by: Jadelynn Arnigo

Date Published: June 23, 2025

Time Published: 7:20 AM

An Air India passenger plane bound for London crashed soon after takeoff from the airport in Ahmedabad, a city on western India, on Thursday, June 12 while en route for Gatwick Airport, located south of British Capital.

Authorities confirmed that the flight was carrying 242 passengers, including 217 adults and 11 children per Reuters. Air India indicated that among them were 169 indian nationals, 53 british citizens, 7 Portuguese, and 1 Canadian.

ABC News reports that out of all those aboard, 246 were killed in the crash, with only one passenger surviving.

Initial reports suggest that the aircraft experienced a sudden loss of altitude shortly after departure. However, the exact cause of the crash remains under investigation.

According to India's CNN News-18, the plane crashed onto the dining area of the state run B.J Medical College hostel, killing several medical students. Footage aired by the channel shows some part of the aircraft resting at the top of the building.

In a post on X, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated that the tragedy in Ahmedabad had left the nation stunned and deeply saddened, describing it as "heartbreaking".

In addition, the aircraft was 11 years old and marked the first-ever crash involving a Boeing 787, which was introduced in 2011, according to the Aviation Safety Network database.

"We are aware of initial reports and are working to gather more information," Boeing said in a statement shortly after the crash of the Air India Boeing 787-8 in Ahmedabad.

The company also noted that this marks the first incident involving passenger fatalities on a Dreamliner aircraft.

Air India Chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran stated that the airline's primary focus is on supporting those affected and their families.

REFERENCES:

Paternoster, T. & Brezar, A. (2025, June 12). One passenger survives London-bound Air India plane crash at Ahmedabad. Euro News https://www.euronews.com/.../air-india-plane-bound-for...

FRANCE 24 (2025, June 12). More than 240 killed and one survivor after Air India crash in Ahmedabad. https://www.france24.com/.../20250612-air-india-passenger...

Shalvey, K., Gardiner, C., Mazumdar, P. & Forrester, M. (2025, June 13) Air India jet crash kills 246 people, with at least 1 passenger surviving. ABC News https://abcnews.go.com/.../air-india-plane.../story...