Air India confirms 241 dead after plane crash - with one Briton surviving
The flight from Ahmedabad to Gatwick, which was carrying 53 Britons, crashed shortly after take-off.
Friday 13 June 2025 01:54, UK
Air India has confirmed that 241 people on board a flight to London Gatwick have died after the aircraft crashed shortly after take-off 鈥� with just one person surviving.
The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, which was carrying 53 Britons, crashed into a doctors' hostel in a residential area moments after taking off from Ahmedabad airport, in western India.
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Air India has said 229 passengers and 12 crew died. Authorities have not confirmed how many people on the ground were killed or injured.
The airline 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 statement continued.
The sole survivor is British man Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, who was travelling on the flight with his brother.
He told the newspaper he heard a "loud noise" around 30 seconds after take-off before the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner went down.
"It all happened so quickly," he said, adding that he suffered "impact injuries" to his chest, eyes and feet. "When I got up, there were bodies all around me. I was scared. I stood up and ran."
The passengers included 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese nationals and one Canadian national.
In a statement posted on Facebook, Gloucester Muslim Community said Akeel Nanabawa, his wife Hannaa and their four-year-old daughter Sara had died in the crash.
They said: "No words can truly ease the pain of such a profound loss, but we pray that the family may find solace in the tremendous outpouring of compassion and solidarity from communities across the world."
Read more: Everything we know about plane crash
Also on the flight were married couple Fiongal and Jamie Greenlaw-Meek from west London. They had posted a video from the airport on their Instagram feed shortly before boarding.
Videos show the aircraft, which departed from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick at 1.38pm local time, struggling to gain altitude in the seconds after taking off.
It then begins to descend and a fireball can be seen as the plane crashes, with massive plumes of thick black smoke rising into the AG百家乐在线官网.
Other images show the aircraft's tail after it crashed into the roof of the BJ Medical College Hostel in the Meghaninagar area.
Tata Sons, which owns the airline, said it will give around £86,000 to the families of each person who died, cover the medical expenses of those injured, and provide support to rebuild the medical hostel.
Ahmedabad airport said the plane crashed "shortly after take-off, outside the airport". Flights were suspended until shortly after 4pm local time.
In a statement, London Gatwick said the flight was due to land at 6.25pm UK time on Thursday and a reception centre for relatives of those on board was set up where information and support will be provided.
Flight tracking website Flightradar said a signal was last received from the aircraft less than a minute after take-off.
It is the first ever crash of a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, according to the Aviation Safety Network database.
The model, a widebody, twin-engine plane, has made five million journeys in the 14 years since its first passenger flight.
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Sir Keir Starmer said the scenes emerging were "devastating". He added: "Our hearts and our thoughts are absolutely with the friends and families of all of those affected."
The prime minister said the British government is in "constant contact" with the Indian authorities and has dispatched an investigation team of its own.
The King said he and the Queen were "desperately shocked by the terrible events" in a post on X.
"Our special prayers and deepest possible sympathy are with the families and friends of all those affected by this appallingly tragic incident across so many nations, as they await news of their loved ones," he said.
The foreign office said the UK is "working with local authorities in India to urgently establish the facts and provide support to those involved".
British nationals who require consular assistance are advised to call 020 7008 5000, while Air India has set up hotlines to provide information on 1800 5691 444 for those calling within India and +91 806 2779 200 for foreign nationals.
India's prime minister Narendra Modi said in a post on X: "The tragedy in Ahmedabad has stunned and saddened us.
"It is heartbreaking beyond words. In this sad hour, my thoughts are with everyone affected by it."
India's civil aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu said he was "shocked and devastated" to learn about the crash.
"We are on highest alert," he said. "I am personally monitoring the situation and have directed all aviation and emergency response agencies to take swift and coordinated action.
"Rescue teams have been mobilised, and all efforts are being made to ensure medical aid and relief support are being rushed to the site."
Aviation expert Julian Bray told Sky News he understands the pilot managed to make a mayday call, meaning the crew was aware of a problem before the crash.
Air India was acquired by Tata Group from the Indian government in January 2022 after racking up billions of pounds of losses.
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The group now operates more than 8,300 weekly flights on 312 routes, connecting more than 100 domestic and international destinations with a fleet of 300 aircraft.
The airline's chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran described the incident as a "tragic accident" and a "devastating event" and said emergency response teams were at the site.
"At this moment, our primary focus is on supporting all the affected people and their families," he said.
"We are doing everything in our power to assist the emergency response teams at the site and to provide all necessary support and care to those impacted."
A Boeing spokesperson said: "We are in contact with Air India regarding Flight 171 and stand ready to support them. Our thoughts are with the passengers, crew, first responders and all affected."