Boeing Dreamliner bound for London goes down shortly after
takeoff; rescue ops underway.
Ahmedabad, June 12, 2025 — An Air India Boeing
787 Dreamliner carrying 242 passengers and crew crashed near Ahmedabad’s Sardar
Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on Thursday, minutes after takeoff.
Flight AI171, en route to London Gatwick, went down in Gujarat’s Meghani area,
triggering a massive rescue operation amid plumes of thick smoke visible across
the region.
Key Details
- Flight
Path: The aircraft departed Ahmedabad at approximately 10:30 AM local
time before crashing in a densely populated zone.
- Passenger
Count: 242 people were aboard, per the Airports Authority of India.
Nationalities remain unconfirmed.
- Rescue
Efforts: Local residents rushed to assist immediately after the crash.
National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams and firefighters are
on-site, searching for survivors amid wreckage.
- Government
Response:
- Gujarat
CM Bhupendra Patel cut short a Surat visit to oversee operations.
- Union
Home Minister Amit Shah coordinated with central agencies for emergency
support.
- Airline
Statement: Air India confirmed the incident on X (formerly Twitter),
adding, "We are ascertaining details and will share updates."
Eyewitness Accounts & Visuals
Social media footage showed flames and black smoke billowing
from the crash site. One eyewitness, Ramesh Patel, told ANI: "We heard a
thunderous explosion. The plane split into sections... villagers ran with water
buckets."
Investigation Launched
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and Boeing
technical teams will probe the cause. Early speculation includes engine failure
or bird strike, though officials emphasize it’s premature to confirm.
This marks India’s deadliest aviation incident since 2020.
The Dreamliner involved (registration VT-ANF) was delivered to Air India in
2018 and had no prior major safety alerts.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer expressed "profound
grief," while the FAA and IATA offered technical assistance.
Developing Story: Casualty figures remain unverified.
Hospitals in Ahmedabad are on high alert.
Live updates at Pulse Next.
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