Former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani was believed to be on board the Air India plane crash near Ahmedabad Airport. The crash occurred in a locality close to the airport shortly after take-off, according to reports on Thursday.
A report by India Today stated that sources believe Rupani was among the passengers. However, no official confirmation has been issued yet regarding his presence on the flight.
The Air India aircraft, operating as flight AI171 to London’s Gatwick Airport, reportedly carried 242 people, including crew members. The crash triggered emergency protocols and forced the closure of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport (SVPIA) until further notice.
Air India confirmed that the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner departed Ahmedabad at 13:38 hrs. It had 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, one Canadian national, and seven Portuguese nationals on board.
The Boeing 787 is a widebody, twin-engine aircraft. According to the Aviation Safety Network database, this marks the first-ever crash involving a Boeing 787 globally.
Visuals from the scene showed thick smoke rising from the crash site, which lies near the airport perimeter. Emergency response teams quickly reached the location, as panic spread in nearby areas.
Initial ADS-B data shared by Flightradar24 revealed the aircraft climbed to just 625 feet above sea level. Since the airport sits at around 200 feet, the jet gained only 425 feet before descending. It reportedly dropped at a vertical speed of –475 feet per minute.
In its first official statement, Air India said, “Flight AI171, operating Ahmedabad-London Gatwick, was involved in an incident today, 12 June 2025. At this moment, we are ascertaining the details and will share further updates at the earliest on airindia.com and on our X handle (x.com/airindia).”
The Air India plane crash has halted all airport operations. A spokesperson for SVPIA confirmed that the airport remains shut until further notice.
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