Over 290 killed as UK-bound Air India plane crashes into residential building: Live updates
An Air India Boeing 787-8 has crashed during takeoff © social media An Air India flight bound for London crashed into a medical college hostel just minutes after takeoff from Ahmedabad on Thursday, killing at least 290 people. Of the 242 people on board, all but one were killed, officials said. The total death toll includes victims on the ground, bringing the number of confirmed fatalities to at least 290, according to the Ahmedabad Police. The plane went down in a residential area minutes after taking off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Airport in Gujarat. Videos of the crash circulating on social media show plumes of dark smoke rising into the sky. The authorities have not yet confirmed the cause of the crash. As rescue operations continue, one survivor has been identified. Ahmedabad Police Commissioner GS Malik informed the media that the passenger in seat 11A “has been found in the hospital and is under treatment.” Local media reports indicate that 40-year-old Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a British national, was rescued by locals. He is believed to have jumped off the plane before it made contact with the building. According to Air India, among the 242 passengers, 169 were Indians, 53 were British nationals, seven were Portuguese, and one was Canadian. Police have also released a list of 25 individuals who were injured on the ground at the crash site. Local media, citing the Indian Medical Association, reported that three medical students perished while others have been hospitalized. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has ordered rescue and relief operations. Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu and Home Minister Amit Shah have arrived in Ahmedabad to assess the situation. 13 June 2025 12:47 GMT India’s aviation regulator has asked Air India to carry out a set of maintenance actions on its Boeing 787-8/9 aircraft with immediate effect, according to a notification. These include a review of all take-off parameters and aircraft checks over the last fortnight, the notification added. The regulator has not set a specific deadline for the submission of the information. RT South Asia Editor Ashok Bagriya gives the latest updates from the plane crash cite in Ahmedabad. Earlier in the day, the area was visited by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who took stock of the situation and met with relatives of the deceased and wounded in the local hospital. The US is sending a team to help India investigate the June 12 Air India crash, according to reports. The group will consist of experts from the NTSB, FAA, Boeing, and GE Aerospace. Some US officials believe that Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner planes may need to be grounded for safety reasons. “But again, right now it would be way too premature,” Duffy said, adding that analyzing video footage alone was “never a strong, smart way to make decisions.” The sole survivor of the June 12 Air India aircraft crash in Ahmedabad said he was lucky to come out alive. Within a minute of takeoff it felt like the plane got ‘stuck,’ Ramesh Vishwashkumar said, adding that the light turned from green to white. “There was a bit of space where I was sitting, and when the door was open, I saw that space and jumped out,” he added. 'I Can't Believe I Came Out Of It Alive' – Air India Crash Sole Survivor Explains The Moment The Plane Started To Rip Apart & How He Managed His Miraculous Escape@DDNewslive#AhmedabadPlaneCrashpic.twitter.com/sRnQVB2hmd — RT_India (@RT_India_news) June 13, 2025 The Air India plane crash could have been caused by a combination of factors, including mechanical issues, human error, and weather, with the landing gear reportedly still down after takeoff, commercial pilot Arindam Dutta told ANI news agency. Dutta said the plane, which was carrying a large amount of highly inflammable fuel, sank within 30-40 seconds, during which time the captain made a mayday call, suggesting that “something was going on in the cockpit.” The anti-terrorism squad in Gujarat has retrieved a crucial piece of equipment from the wreckage of the plane that crashed in Ahmedabad, according to the news agency ANI. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has chaired a review meeting at Ahmedabad airport with top officials. This meeting was aimed at assessing the situation, discussing the cause of the crash, and determining the necessary steps to be taken, according to reports. Narendra Modi visited Ahmedabad Civil Hospital on Friday morning, where he met the lone survivor of the crash, Ramesh Vishwashkumar, a 38-year-old British citizen. Ahmedabad police said Vishwashkumar, who was sitting near the emergency exit, managed to “jump off” the plane. He is being treated for his injuries. ❗️PM Modi Meets Lone Survivor Of Air India Tragedy – Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, A British National Of Indian Origin#AhmedabadPlaneCrashhttps://t.co/w0SQSJWXm2pic.twitter.com/Ajn5g3rhzm — RT_India (@RT_India_news) June 13, 2025 Indian Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu said on Friday that the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau has initiated a formal investigation into the crash of AI-171, following international protocols set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). Additionally, a high-level expert committee will be established to investigate the incident and recommend safety enhancements to prevent similar tragedies from occurring in the future, according to Indian state broadcaster DD News. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has visited the site of the AI-171 flight crash in Ahmedabad. The crash of the London-bound Air India plane claimed the lives of 241 people onboard, including 12 crew members. The total death toll is believed to have crossed 290, as the plane hit a hostel for doctors when it crashed. The toll includes people on the ground, according to the Ahmedabad Police. After visiting the crash site, Modi went to the Ahmedabad Civil Hospital to meet the injured. ❗️PM Modi Visits Crash Site Of Air India Tragedy In Ahmedabad#AhmedabadPlaneCrashhttps://t.co/KXGXu3Q83Tpic.twitter.com/0jB2YBq7wu — RT_India (@RT_India_news) June 13, 2025
US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy was quoted by The Hindu as saying that American experts needed to get on the ground and take a look.
A digital video recorder (DVR) was recovered from the debris. The news agency cited a member of the squad as saying the device will soon be examined by a team from the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL).
The footage will be analyzed to help determine the cause of the crash, according to the report.
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