Ahmedabad plane crash: 241 people died, 1 survivor; PM Modi visits the scene, encounters injured victim, DNA identification is being carried out
Ahmedabad plane crash: In one of the worst aviation disasters in recent Indian history, Air India confirmed that 241 people died after its flight to the London-killed AI171 was killed shortly after taking off from Sardar Vallabhbhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad on Thursday afternoon, June 12.
Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, carrying 230 passengers and 12 crew members a few minutes after departure at 1:38 p.m., crashed into the doctor’s hotel near the medical school and had a large fireball erupted.
“We are sorry to inform the death toll on the 242 ships,” Air India said in a statement issued late Thursday. Among these passengers, there were 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese nationals and one Canadian national.
Ahmedabad plane crash: PM Modi visits crash website
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who arrived in Ahmedabad earlier on Friday, visited the crash site to take stock of the situation. He also hopes that he will meet with the victim and the victim’s family.
Video | Ahmedabad Air Crash: PM Modi (@narendramodi) Arrive at the civil hospital to meet the injured person.
Earlier, Prime Minister Modi also visited the site of the Indian plane crash in the Meganinagal region. At least 265 people were killed in the fatal crash.#AHMEDABADPLANECRASH… pic.twitter.com/njcaxr7wlc
– News Trust in India (@pti_news) June 13, 2025
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Air India sets up assistance center
Air India officially handles X on X, announcing the setting of Friends and Relatives Assistance Centres at Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Delhi and Gatwick Airports to provide support and care for the needs of family and loved ones on AI171 flights. These centres also facilitate family members’ travel to Ahmedabad.
Dedicated passenger hotline number:
From India: 1800 5691 444
From outside India: +91 8062779200
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Air India crash: a miraculous survivor
The sole survivor of the crash has been identified as 40-year-old Indian British national Vishwash Kumar Ramesh. He reportedly jumped out of the emergency exit next to his seat and suffered relatively minor injuries. He is currently receiving treatment at a civil hospital in Assalva, Ahmedabad.
Amit Shah meets lonely survivors, calling it a “national tragedy”
Union Home Minister Amit Shah visited the civil hospital on Thursday to meet with lonely survivors and relatives of the deceased.
“This incident has called the “national mourning”: “This heartbreaking incident shocked us all.
#watch |Air India plane crash |Ahmedabad: Union Home Minister Amit Shah said: “This afternoon, Air India AI-171 crashed and many passengers were terrified of death. The whole country was grieving, standing with the families of the deceased…Central Government… pic.twitter.com/hty00bwnvy
– ani (@ani) June 12, 2025
Shah wrote in an article on X: “The tragic plane crash in Ahmedabad is beyond words. The disaster response force is mobilized quickly. I have spoken with Gujarat CM Shri Bhupendra Patel, State Home Minister Shri Harsh Sanghavi, Police Chief and Police Chief go all out.”
He also confirmed that DNA recognition is currently being carried out to determine the identity of the person being killed. “We can only release our names after the DNA process is completed,” Shah said.
Shah emphasized the intensity of the crash, saying: “There was no chance to save anything. The plane fell so much that the wreckage quickly engulfed, and the intensity erupted, making immediate rescue work extremely difficult.”
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Gujarat HC, Centre responds
The Gujarat High Court announced that it would last for two minutes of silence on Friday to honor the victims.
Meanwhile, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has conducted a formal investigation in accordance with international standards formulated by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
The Government also constitutes a high-level committee composed of aviation and safety experts to investigate causes and recommend measures to prevent such tragedies in the future.
