A London-bound Air India passenger flight carrying 242 people crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad today, Thursday 12th, June 2025, killing more than 100 people in what is now one of India’s deadliest aviation disasters. Authorities say there are no known survivors.The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, enroute to Gatwick Airport in the UK, crashed into a densely populated residential area near the airport, igniting a massive blaze. The aircraft reportedly struck the dining area of a hostel at B.J. Medical College. The impact killed many passengers and possibly some medical students, although their number remains unconfirmed.Emergency responders rushed to the scene, dousing the wreckage and adjacent buildings with water. Charred bodies lay scattered as firefighters worked through thick smoke. More than 100 victims, most severely burned, were taken to the local government hospital for autopsy.Of the 242 people on board, 217 were adults, 11 children, and two infants. Air India confirmed the nationalities included 169 Indians, 53 Britons, seven Portuguese citizens, and one Canadian.This marks the first fatal crash involving the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner since its introduction in 2011. The aircraft involved was delivered to Air India in 2014.British Prime Minister Keir Starmer expressed shock at the incident, calling it “devastating” in a statement. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whose home state is Gujarat, has yet to issue an official comment.Air India confirmed the incident on X (formerly Twitter), stating, “We are ascertaining the details and will share further updates. The injured are being taken to the nearest hospitals.”Eyewitness footage aired by local media showed the plane taking off and moments later, a massive fireball erupting from behind buildings. Debris, including the aircraft’s tail, was seen lodged on rooftops.Police and rescue teams have cleared most of the crash site and continue recovery efforts as investigations into the cause of the crash begin.
