India to London plane crashes with 242 people on board
The flight, which was carrying 53 Britons, from Ahmedabad to Gatwick crashed shortly after take-off.
Thursday 12 June 2025 19:06, UK
A plane carrying 242 people, including 53 British nationals, to London Gatwick has crashed in India.
Local police said there appeared to be no survivors after the Air India Flight 171 came down in a residential area near Ahmedabad Airport shortly after take-off.
But British man Vishwash Kumar Ramesh survived the crash, his family members have told Sky News.
India plane crash latest: Follow live updates
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."
A fireball can be seen in footage as the plane crashed, hitting a doctors' college residential quarters, in the north-western city in Gujarat state.
A police officer told the Reuters news agency more than 290 people have been killed.
Three Britons who died in the crash have been named.
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."
City police chief Kanan Desai earlier said bodies recovered from the crash site could include those on board the flight and those on the ground.
Video circulating on social media shows massive plumes of thick black smoke rising into the AG百家乐在线官网 after the crash.
Other images captured what appears to be part of the aircraft's tail after it crashed into the roof of the BJ Medical College Hostel in the Meghaninagar area.
Air India said the flight, which departed from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick at 1.38pm local time, was carrying 242 passengers and crew members.
They include 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese nationals and one Canadian national.
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 is being 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.
Read more:
What we know so far
Investigators will want to know if crash part of wider problem
CCTV shows take-off and fireball explosion
Aviation experts review crash video
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 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.
Be the first to get Breaking News
Install the Sky News app for free
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."