Guwahati: Air India on Friday confirmed that 241 people out of 242 on board, including crew members and pilots, lost their lives in the tragic London-bound AI171 plane crash in Ahmedabad on Thursday.
Air India flight bound for London crashed in a residential area in Ahmedabad, five minutes after take-off, with Pilot in Command Sumit Sabharwal and co-Pilot Clive Kunder, from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport.
Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge!
According to reports, 40-year-old British National, Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, miraculously survived the tragic plane crash.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Air India confirmed that 241 people out of 242 on board have died in the tragic plane crash in Ahmedabad on Thursday.
The airline stated, “Air India flight AI171, operating from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick on 12 June 2025, was involved in an accident. The 12-year-old Boeing 787-8 aircraft departed from Ahmedabad at 1:38 pm, carrying 230 passengers and 12 crew. The aircraft crashed shortly after take-off. We regret to inform that authorities confirm 241 fatalities among the 242 aboard. The sole survivor is being treated in a hospital. The passengers comprised 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, 7 Portuguese nationals, and 1 Canadian national. The survivor is a British national of Indian origin. “
Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge!
“Air India offers its deepest condolences to the families of the deceased. Our efforts now are focused entirely on the needs of all those affected, their families, and loved ones. ” the airline stated.
It asserted that a team of caregivers from Air India is now in Ahmedabad to provide additional support. Air India is giving its full cooperation to the authorities investigating this incident.
“Air India has also set up a dedicated passenger hotline number 1800 5691 444 to provide more information. Those calling from outside India can call on +91 8062779200. Regular updates will continue on Air India’s X handle (https://x.com/airindia) and on http://airindia.com as further information comes to hand,” it added.
Notably, the devastating plane crash has rocked the city, claiming the lives of five medical students and leaving dozens injured after the aircraft plummeted into the hostel of the B.J. Medical College in Ahmedabad.
According to reports, the pilot issued a mayday call shortly after takeoff. However, air traffic controllers received no further response to their repeated attempts to contact the aircraft. Investigations into the cause of the crash are underway, as authorities work to determine why the plane lost control and plummeted to the ground.
A large-scale DNA sampling drive is underway at Kasauti Bhawan in Ahmedabad, where FSL teams are working 24/7 to identify victims of the Air India plane crash.
Officials said that this is likely the first aviation disaster in India to require DNA testing on such a scale before handing over mortal remains to next of kin (NOK).
Additionally, Boeing CEO Dave Ortberg, in a statement, confirmed that he has spoken with Jennifer Homendy, Chair of the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), and assured her of Boeing’s full cooperation in the investigation.
He also stated that Boeing is actively supporting India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), which is leading the official inquiry into the crash.