An Air India flight en route to London’s Gatwick Airport with 242 passengers and crew crashed and exploded shortly after takeoff on Thursday, killing all on board and causing multiple fatalities on the ground. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner went down in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, just five minutes after departing the airport at 1:38 p.m. local time (08:08 GMT), striking a medical college hostel in the densely populated Meghani Nagar area.
Thick black smoke engulfed the crash site as flames tore through the building and surrounding structures. Firefighters and emergency crews, assisted by Indian army personnel, scrambled to douse the blaze and sift through the debris. There were no known survivors, and officials said the death toll likely includes medical students and residents in the crash zone.
“This is heartbreaking beyond words,” said Prime Minister Narendra Modi, expressing grief over the tragedy in his home state.
Medical Students Among Ground Casualties
Officials confirmed that at least five medical students were killed on the ground, with over 50 others injured, many critically. According to Divyansh Singh, vice president of the Federation of All India Medical Association, more casualties are feared as many remain buried in the debris.
The aircraft crashed with a full fuel load, increasing the scale of the fire and destruction. Visuals from the scene showed the tail cone of the Dreamliner lodged into a building’s upper floors, with parts of the fuselage scattered across the complex.
Victims Spanned Four Nationalities
Air India confirmed that the passengers included 169 Indians, 53 Britons, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian. The multinational tragedy has prompted condolences and support offers from leaders across the world.
In the UK, Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the incident “devastating,” and Cabinet Minister Lucy Powell pledged full government assistance to affected families. King Charles III and Queen Camilla released a statement expressing their “deepest possible sympathy” for the victims.
Investigators Look to Flight Data
This marks the first-ever crash of a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, a model introduced in 2009 with over 1,000 units delivered globally. Aviation experts say the cause of the crash remains unknown, but analysis of the flight data and cockpit voice recorders will be key.
Aviation safety consultant John M. Cox noted early indicators may suggest a failure during the climb-out phase. “It appeared the aircraft had its nose up and was not climbing—one of the things investigators will examine closely,” he said, adding that the Dreamliner’s advanced flight data systems could yield fast answers.
Boeing acknowledged awareness of the crash and said it is gathering more information, as its shares tumbled nearly 9% in premarket U.S. trading.
Air India and Boeing in the Spotlight
The crash comes at a sensitive time for the aviation industry, just days ahead of the Paris Air Show, where Boeing and rival Airbus are expected to showcase next-generation aircraft and announce major deals. The accident revives memories of Boeing’s troubled safety record following two deadly 737 Max crashes in 2018 and 2019.
Air India’s chairman, Natarajan Chandrasekaran, said the airline’s immediate focus is on supporting families. An emergency center and family support team have been activated.
“Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with the families and loved ones of all those affected by this devastating event,” he wrote on X.
India's Aviation History Marked by Tragedy
Thursday’s disaster is India’s deadliest aviation incident in years. The last major crash occurred in 2020 when an Air India Express jet overshot a runway, killing 21 people. India’s worst air disaster remains the 1996 midair collision between Saudi Arabian and Kazakhstan Airlines jets, which killed 349 people near Delhi.
As investigators work to determine the cause of the Ahmedabad crash, the world mourns a tragedy that has affected communities across four nations and left hundreds of families in grief.