Air India flight carrying 242 people crashes; 1 passenger survives
What's the story
An Air India flight, carrying 242 people, crashed in Ahmedabad on Thursday afternoon. Only one person reportedly survived the crash: Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, who was seated at 11A. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner was en route to London Gatwick Airport when it lost contact with air traffic control shortly after takeoff. The aircraft took off from runway 23 at 1:39pm (0809 GMT) and made a "Mayday" call indicating an emergency situation before disappearing from radar.
Passenger
Vishwash was in India for few days
Speaking to HT, Vishwash, a British national, said, "Thirty seconds after take-off, there was a loud noise and then the plane crashed." "When I got up, there were bodies all around me...There were pieces of the plane all around me...Someone grabbed hold of me and put me in an ambulance and brought me to the hospital," he recalled. Vishwash was in India for a few days to visit his family. He was headed back to the UK with his brother.
Twitter Post
Vishwash is a British national
JUST IN: Vishwash Kumar Ramesh was the sole survivor of the Air India Boeing 787 crash, according to India Today.
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) June 12, 2025
Ramesh, 40, says there was a loud noise after takeoff.
“Thirty seconds after take off, there was a loud noise and then the plane crashed. It all happened so… pic.twitter.com/odls9uFKXK
Crash details
Crash site located in residential area
The crash occurred in a residential area near the airport, according to police. Visuals from the scene showed burning debris and thick black smoke rising into the sky. Some videos also showed injured individuals being rushed to hospitals. At least two dozen ambulances were reportedly seen at the site while police diverted traffic from the area.
Passenger details
Flight AI-171 was carrying 169 Indians
The ill-fated flight, AI-171, was carrying 169 Indians, 53 British nationals, one Canadian national, and seven Portuguese nationals. The aircraft was piloted by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal with 8,200 hours of experience and First Officer Clive Kundar with 1,100 hours of experience. Air India has set up a dedicated passenger hotline number (1800-5691-444) to provide more information about the crash. Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu said he is personally monitoring the situation.