Air India plane crash: PM Modi’s first reaction -‘Tragedy in Ahmedabad has stunned and saddened us’
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed anguish over the devastating plane crash in Ahmedabad, where Air India Flight AI171, with 242 people on board, crashed shortly after taking off from from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. The flight was bound for London. In a post on X, PM Modi described the incident as “heartbreaking beyond words” and extended condolences to those affected.
Air India has confirmed that 241 people on board its London-bound flight were killed when the aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff from the Ahmedabad airport on Thursday. The Boeing 787-8 aircraft was carrying 242 passengers and crew members. The passengers comprised 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese nationals and one Canadian national. “We regret to inform that of the 242 aboard, there are 241 confirmed fatalities,” the airline said in a statement issued late Thursday.
It said the sole survivor is a British national of Indian origin and is being treated in a hospital. Air India confirms that flight AI-171, operating from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick on June 12, 2025, was involved in an accident, it said in a statement. The 12-year-old Boeing 787-8 aircraft had departed from Ahmedabad at 1.38 pm, carrying 230 passengers and 12 crew.
Air India said it 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 said. A team of caregivers from Air India is now in Ahmedabad to provide additional support, it added. It also said that the airline 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, it said.
