Air India Plane Crashes After Takeoff in Ahmedabad, 241 Dead, Only One Survivor
Summary: An Air India Dreamliner travelling from Ahmedabad to London crashed seconds after takeoff, killing 241 people, including ground crew. One passenger survived.
On June 12, 2025, an Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed shortly after taking off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad, in one of the country's biggest aviation disasters. There were 242 people on the trip to London Gatwick, comprising 12 crew members and 230 passengers.
The plane didn't gain altitude and crashed into a dorm building at B.J. Medical College in the next suburb. The impact resulted in a tremendous explosion, killing 241 people, including those onboard and 28 on the ground. A lot of the people who died on the ground were medical students who lived in the dorms.
Fortunately, there was one sole survivor, a British-Indian named Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, who survived the crash with minor injuries. He is currently hospitalised and stable.
Vijay Rupani, the former Gujarat Chief Minister, was among the dead. Victims included persons from India, the United Kingdom, Portugal, and Canada. Early investigations point to a possible mechanical failure, as witnesses described the aircraft flying extremely low with its landing gear and flaps still deployed.
The NDRF, Air Force, and local authorities also contributed to the rescue efforts. Leaders from around the world, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and King Charles III, extended their deepest sympathies. Boeing and international aviation organisations have joined Indian authorities in probing the cause.
This incident marks the first-ever fatal crash involving a Boeing 787 Dreamliner and the worst air disaster in India since 1996.