PM Modi to visit Air India plane crash site in Ahmedabad on Friday

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to visit the location in Ahmedabad where Air India’s flight AI171 crashed shortly after take-off on 12 June. 

 

The aircraft, en route to Gatwick Airport in London, was carrying 242 people—230 passengers and 12 crew members—when it went down near a residential area soon after departing from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport.

 

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Modi posted on social media platform X, stating, “The tragedy in Ahmedabad has stunned and saddened us. It is heartbreaking beyond words. In this sad hour, my thoughts are with everyone affected by it. Have been in touch with Ministers and authorities who are working to assist those affected.”

 

US President Donald Trump also commented, saying, “I let them know that anything we can do, we'll be over there immediately. But it was a horrific crash,” during an event at the White House.

 

The airline confirmed that among the 242 people on board, there were 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese nationals, and one Canadian national.

 

Air India has set up dedicated helplines for relatives and friends of passengers. The helpline number is 1800-56-91-444. 

Tata Group's response

Campbell Wilson, Managing Director and CEO of Air India, stated, “I want to brief you on a serious incident that involved an Air India aircraft a short while ago, but first and most important, I would like to express our deep sorrow about this event.”

 

Noel Tata, Chairman of Tata Trusts, said, “We are deeply saddened by the tragic accident involving Air India Flight 171 on its journey from Ahmedabad to London. This heart-wrenching incident has brought immense grief to countless families, and our thoughts are with all those who have lost their loved ones today.”

Aircraft details

The flight was being operated using a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft. The incident adds to the manufacturer’s ongoing safety and operational challenges. Boeing stated that it is in contact with Air India following the incident involving its aircraft.

 

Boeing has been under scrutiny following two crashes involving its 737 Max 8 aircraft—Lion Air Flight 610 in 2018 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 in 2019—that resulted in 189 and 157 fatalities, respectively.

 

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner, introduced in 2011, is a long-range, wide-body, twin-engine aircraft. It was developed to enhance fuel efficiency and reduce operating costs. Over 50 per cent of the aircraft's structure by weight is made from carbon-fibre-reinforced polymer. It is powered by either Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 or GE GEnx engines and is approximately 20 per cent more fuel-efficient than the Boeing 767.