The incident happened at 18:15 local time (22:15 GMT) on Friday as the plane was arriving at El Alto’s airport from the city of Santa Cruz, aviation officials said. It reportedly skidded off the runway and hit nearby vehicles.

The defence ministry later confirmed its C-130 Hercules was involved and that it had been transporting banknotes to the Central Bank of Bolivia. There were eight people aboard the plane, the air force commander said.

Police fired tear gas to disperse crowds allegedly trying to take the scattered banknotes.

Firefighters had given an earlier death toll of at least 15.

Video footage showed the plane on the ground and badly damaged vehicles. In other videos, people could be seen running away from the tear gas and police officers, some holding shields, forming a line. Some in the crowds are seen throwing rocks.

“While news crews were covering the accident, individuals attempting to steal the transported money attacked the press with unusual violence,” the National Association of Journalists of Bolivia said in a statement.

It said a mobile TV unit was “directly targeted”, while other journalists “were attacked with stones, suffering serious injuries while carrying out their work”.

The government-run Bolivian News Agency reported that at least a dozen people were arrested for stealing banknotes.

“I want to make it clear to those who are trying to take money from the plane involved in this tragedy that this money has no legal value since it has not been issued by the Central Bank and does not have a serial number, and that attempting to use this money is a crime,” the Minister of Defence, Marcelo Salinas, said.

“We also ask all those who are engaging in acts of vandalism in this area to refrain from doing so and to respect the mourning and grief we are experiencing at this difficult time.”

Bolivia’s Air Force commander Sergio Lora confirmed there were eight crew members on board the plane “including cargo personnel and flight crew”.

Bolivia’s health ministry said 31 people were injured in the incident. It also issued an urgent appeal for blood donations.

El Alto International Airport was temporarily closed following the crash.

“My sister told me that she was in the car when the plane crashed. The plane’s tire fell on the car, and my sister was injured because the impact of the tire hit her on the head, so we rushed her to the hospital,” a man told the Reuters news agency.

It was not immediately clear what caused the crash, but some witnesses said the weather at the time was treacherous.

“A heavy hailstorm” was falling and “there was lightning” when the plane went down,” a woman whose car was struck by the aircraft wreckage told the AFP news agency.

An investigation into the incident is under way.

Here’s where things stand on Thursday 12 June 2025:

• An Air India passenger plane bound for London crashed into a medical college in the northwestern city of Ahmedabad after takeoff, killing more than 240 people in one of India’s worst airline disasters in decades, officials said, with one survivor among the passengers.
• Air India confirmed that 241 of the 242 people on Air India Flight 171 died.
• Vidhi Chaudhary, a top state police officer in Ahmedabad, said medical students who were in the college’s hostel when the Boeing 787 plane hit the building have also been killed.
• At Ahmedabad’s Civil Hospital, Dr Dhaval Gameti said he had examined the lone survivor of the crash brought in, whom he identified as Vishwash Kumar Ramesh. “He was disoriented with multiple injuries all over his body,” Gameti told The Associated Press. “But he seems to be out of danger.”
• The flight crashed shortly after takeoff from the Indian city. The airline said in a statement that the  carried 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, one Canadian and seven Portuguese.
• Authorities in London confirmed that the plane was due to land at the city’s Gatwick airport at 6:25pm local time (17:25GMT).

Here’s what happened today

We will be closing this live page soon. Here is a recap of today’s main events:

• An Air India passenger plane bound for London crashed in the city of Ahmedabad, in India’s western province of Gujarat, shortly after takeoff; 241 of the 242 people on the flight died, with Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a British national, the sole survivor.
• The plane crashed into a medical college, reportedly killing an unknown number of medical students who were in the college’s hostel.
• India’s aviation minister said a formal investigation has been initiated by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), in line with international protocols set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
• US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy says there is “no indication” right now that there are any safety issues with Boeing’s 787-8 Dreamliner – the aircraft that crashed.

Special prayers offered at Hindu temples in London

About 100 people have gathered at a massive ornate temple in the Neasden area of the British capital, where much of the community has ties to the state of Gujarat, where the Air India flight crashed.

Yogvivekdas Swami said people were praying for all those affected.

“We will offer prayers for the unfortunate people who have passed away, the passengers, the crew, the pilots,” he said.

“Also for all their family members, that they may find strength and courage at this very difficult and challenging time.”

British couple post story on social media before boarding flight

A British couple, reportedly on the Air India flight that crashed, filmed a video of themselves at the airport before boarding.

Fiongal and Jamie Greenlaw-Meek, who run a spiritual wellness centre, laughed and joked on their Instagram story as they discussed a “10-hour flight back to England”.

In an earlier post, they shared their “mind-blowing” trip to India and their intention to create a vlog about it.

Police say Air India survivor leapt from crashing plane

Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, the only known survivor out of the 242 people on board an Air India plane that crashed in Ahmedabad, had been sitting near an emergency exit of the London-bound flight and managed to jump out, police said.

Photos: Community members gather outside British survivor’s family home

British MP raises safety questions with Air India, UK aviation agency

Shivani Raja, a British parliament member who represents a district in Leicester, in the East Midlands, says she raised questions about the safety of the Air India flight.

“This flight route is very popular amongst the British Gujarati community, and many have been left understandably shaken by today’s horrific events,” Raja said in a statement shared on X.

“My office remains open to support local residents who have been impacted.”

As we’ve been reporting, officials say 53 passengers on board the Air India flight that crashed were British nationals.

How many people were killed on the ground in Ahmedabad?

That remains unclear.

“We are still verifying the number of dead, including those killed in the building where the plane crashed,” Vidhi Chaudhary, a top state police officer, told the Reuters news agency.

As we reported earlier, an official with the Federation of All India Medical Association said at least five students were killed when part of the plane fell on top of the dining area of BJ Medical College in Ahmedabad.

Nearly 50 others were also injured, the official said.

We’ll bring you more updates when we can.

US transportation chief says no immediate safety concerns with Boeing aircraft

US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy says there is “no indication” right now that there are any safety issues with Boeing’s 787-8 Dreamliner – the aircraft that crashed in India.

“We have no preliminary information,” Duffy told reporters during a news conference.

“We don’t have that information yet. It’s very new. Our teams are just going to deploy [to India] right now,” he said.

India’s home affairs minister visits people injured by the crash at hospital

Amit Shah has visited the sole survivor of the crash, as well as some of those who had been on the ground and were injured when the plane crashed.

In a post on X, he said he also spoke to the “affected family members and assured them of every possible support required for the swift recovery of the injured”.

The final moments before Air India Flight 171 crashes

A man who said he works a few metres from where the plane crashed has described what he saw in Ahmedabad.

“I heard a loud noise and came outside, and saw a big cloud of smoke. People started running. There was chaos,” he said.

British pilots group urges ‘full, thorough investigation’

Amy Leversidge, general secretary of the British Airline Pilots’ Association, says “pilots around the globe are deeply saddened” by news of the Air India crash.

“It is vital a full and thorough investigation is now carried out without interference or unhelpful speculation about the contributory factors so that future tragedies can be avoided,” Leversidge said in a statement.

As we’ve been reporting, the cause of the crash remains unclear as the investigation continues.

Where is Ahmedabad, the Indian city where Air India flight crashed?

Ahmedabad is the largest city in India’s western province of Gujarat, about 500km (310 miles) north of Mumbai.

Sitting on the banks of the Sabarmati River, Ahmedabad is home to nearly 7.4 million people, according to official statistics.

Ahmedabad’s airport – formally known as Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport – is located in the city’s northeast.

There are indications that something went wrong ‘late in the takeoff roll’

Todd Curtis, the CEO of airsafe.com and a former safety engineer for Boeing, spoke to Al Jazeera about what he thinks happened to the Air India flight.

He said in the videos he has seen that the aircraft had a normal roll down the runway, but after takeoff, the climb stopped fairly soon, the aircraft levelled out, and then it slowly descended, so it was “under control” when it was descending.

He said he didn’t see “any flames or pieces falling off”, which, combined with the witness testimony that mentioned an explosion, led him to suspect that, sometime late in the takeoff roll, something went wrong, but they were too far down the runway to stop.

He said the landing gear appears to have stayed down throughout the time the plane was airborne.

Typically, within 30 seconds after taking off, the gear is either completely up or coming into the aircraft, so the fact that there was not even an attempt to raise the gear, from his perspective, suggests that “something seriously went wrong very early in the flight”.

Indian authorities turn to DNA testing to identify victims

Vidhi Chaudhary, a top state police officer in Ahmedabad, says “most of the bodies have been charred beyond recognition” after the plane hit the medical college hostel, killing and injuring dozens of students.

Dhananjay Dwivedi, a civil official in Gujarat, the state where Ahmedabad is located, told reporters that DNA testing arrangements were being made.

Air India confirms 241 of 242 people on board killed, only 1 survivor

“We regret to inform that, of the 242 aboard, there are 241 confirmed fatalities. The sole survivor is being treated in a hospital,” the airline has said in its latest update on the crash.

“The survivor is a British national of Indian origin,” it added.

The airline also confirmed that the plane crashed with 230 passengers and 12 crew members on board.

“Air India offers its deepest condolences to the families of the deceased. Our efforts now are focused entirely on the needs of all those affected, their families and loved ones.”

Canadian citizen killed in crash identified

Media outlets in Canada are reporting that the Canadian citizen who died in the crash was a woman named Nirali Sureshkumar Patel.

Patel was a dentist from the city of Mississauga, just west of Toronto, in the province of Ontario.

Patel’s husband told The Canadian Press that he was booking travel to India for himself and the couple’s one-year-old child.

“That was my wife,” he told the news agency, without providing his name. “I am not in a state to speak right now.”

Ontario Premier Doug Ford expressed his condolences, saying he was “saddened” to learn that a Canadian from Mississauga was among those killed in the “tragic” crash.

FAA engaged Boeing in crash probe: US transportation secretary

Sean Duffy says his office is working with the the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) to assist India in its investigation into what happened while Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) investigators are deploying to the crash site.

“We are prepared to send additional resources to get the data we need to ensure the safety of the flying public,” the US transportation secretary said in a post on X.

“The FAA has already engaged Boeing and GE to review any necessary information as part of the investigation,” Duffy said.

“As the NTSB leads the investigation, we will not hesitate to implement any safety recommendations that may arise. We will follow the facts and put safety first.”

India’s aviation minister says a formal investigation has been initiated

Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu has announced that “a formal investigation” into the crash has been “initiated by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), in line with international protocols set by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO)”.

In a post on X, he said New Delhi is putting together a “high-level committee comprising experts from multiple disciplines to examine the matter in detail”.

Photos: Night falls over Air India crash site

Still unclear why plane didn’t climb upon takeoff, expert says

As we’ve been reporting, the investigation into the cause of the crash is continuing, and experts say it is too early to say what exactly brought down the plane.

Former FAA and NTSB crash investigator Jeff Guzzetti told The Associated Press that it remains unclear why Air India Flight 171 was having difficulty climbing as it took off from the airport in Ahmedabad.

Video of the plane from right before the crash does not show any smoke or fire, so he said it does not appear that a bird strike was an issue. And even if the plane lost one engine, the second engine should be able to carry it aloft, Guzzetti added.

He told The AP that it’s possible that both engines started to “roll back” and lose power at the same time. “This happened on a [Boeing] 777 crash coming into Heathrow about 15 years ago. It was a dual engine rollback due to icing in the fuel. So there could be a fuel issue,” he said.

“Usually, fuel contamination issues rear their ugly head during takeoff.”

If you’re just joining us

Let’s bring you up to speed on the latest developments:

• Media outlets in India are reporting that a passenger has survived the crash and has been taken to hospital for treatment of his injuries.
• Air India says it is working with local authorities on emergency response efforts as the investigation into what happened continues.
• Experts say that while it remains too early to speculate about the cause of the crash, questions are swirling around whether the plane was properly configured for takeoff.
• Boeing, the US corporation that manufactured the Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner that crashed, says it is “in contact” with the airline and stands “ready to support them”.
• Condolences are pouring in from around the world, with global leaders including UN chief Guterres expressing grief and support for all those affected.

Medical students hostel: What we know about where the plane crashed

As we’ve been reporting, Air India Flight 171 went down shortly after takeoff from the airport in Ahmedabad.

According to local media reports, the plane crashed into the hostel of BJ Medical College, located in a residential area outside the airport, during lunch hour. Officials said part of the plane fell on the college’s dining area.

Gujarat health secretary Dhananjay Dwivedi told reporters: “Ahmedabad Civil Hospital students hostel, staff quarters and other residential areas are located in the area where the plane crashed.”

Dwivedi added that “residents of that area were also injured” in the incident.

Parts of the plane’s body were scattered around the building into which it crashed. The tail of the plane was stuck on top of the building.

Ramila, the mother of a student at the medical college, told the Indian news agency ANI that her son had gone to the hostel for his lunch break when the plane crashed. “My son is safe, and I have spoken to him. He jumped from the second floor, so he suffered some injuries,” she said.

Here’s where things stand on Thursday 12 June 2025:

• A London-bound plane has crashed shortly after take-off in Ahmedabad, western India
• Air India says: “Flight AI171, operating Ahmedabad-London Gatwick, was involved in an incident today”
• The plane is understood to have been carrying more than 200 passengers
• Tracking website Flightradar24 says it received the last signal from the aircraft at 625 feet (190m) “just seconds after take off”
• It appears to have crashed in a residential area, our South Asia correspondent reports

Live Reporting

(14:47) Parts of plane scattered at crash site

We can now bring you more pictures from the residential area in Ahmedabad where the Air India plane crashed:

(14:40) At least 50 medical students taken to hospital

We’ve just heard from India’s Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA), which says some 50 to 60 students studying medicine were taken to hospital after the Air India flight crashed into a doctors’ hostel.

The association says five students are missing, and at least two are in the intensive care unit.

Relatives of some doctors are also missing. According to FAIMA, most of the passengers on the flight were brought to hospital dead.

(14:31) King and Queen ‘desperately shocked’ by crash

We’ve just had an update from the King, who says he and Queen Camilla are “desperately shocked by the terrible events in Ahmedabad this morning”.

“Our special prayers and deepest possible sympathy are with the families and friends of all those affected by this appallingly tragic incident across so many nations, as they await news of their loved ones.

“I would like to pay a particular tribute to the heroic efforts of the emergency services and all those providing help and support at this most heartbreaking and traumatic time.”

(14:27) Boeing says thoughts with all those affected

We’ve just had an updated statement through from Boeing – the company which manufactured the plane.

It says: “We are in contact with Air India regarding Flight 171 and stand ready to support them. Our thoughts are with the passengers, crew, first responders and all affected.”

In its earlier statement, the company said it was working to gather more information.

(14:16) ‘We have lost a lot of people’ – Indian foreign ministry spokesperson

Indian foreign ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, at his weekly press briefing, calls the crash “a very tragic accident”.

“The rescue operations are on. We need to wait a little more time for exact details to be put out,” he says.

But he adds: “We have lost a lot of people. We extend our deepest condolences to all those who have lost their loved ones.”

(14:25) Some locals will have died – police chief

More from Ahmedabad’s police chief GS Malik, who earlier said there appear to be no survivors from the crash.

He also says that because the plane crashed in a residential area, “some locals would have also died”.

“Exact figures on casualties are being ascertained,” he says, according to AP.

(13:58) There appears to be no survivors, local police chief says

The police chief in Ahmedabad says there appears to be no survivors from the plane crash, according to reports from the AFP and AP news agencies.

(13:05) Crisis teams set up in India and the UK, Lammy says

The UK Foreign Office (FCDO) has arranged crisis teams in India and the UK, Foreign Secretary David Lammy says.

He tells the Commons: “My thoughts, and I’m sure those of the entire House, are with those who’ve been affected by the tragic plane crash in India this morning.

“We know that British nationals were on board and I can confirm that the FCDO is working urgently with local authorities to support British nationals and their families, and has stood up a crisis team in both Delhi and in London.”

(12:53) My son jumped from second floor of hostel as plane crashed, says mother

We are now beginning to hear from anxious relatives outside hospitals in Ahmedabad.

Poonam Patel, who is at the Civil Hospital in Ahmedabad, tells news agency ANI that his sister-in-law was on the flight to London.

“Within an hour, I got the news that the plane had crashed. So I came here,” he says.

Ramila says her son had just gone into the doctors’ hostel for a lunch break when the plane crashed there.

She says he jumped from the second floor and suffered injuries, but is safe.

(12:41) Tragedy has stunned us, says Modi

We’re now hearing from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

In a post on X, he says: “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.”

(12:31) Where did the crash happen?

The Air India passenger plane crashed near the airport in Ahmedabad, western India.

The last signal was received seconds after take-off, according to Flight Radar, when the plane was at 625 feet (airport altitude is about 200 feet).

(12:25) Firefighters douse flames at crash site

The plane crashed in a residential area near the airport in Ahmedabad – police say it came down on a doctors’ hostel.

(12:24) King Charles being kept updated

The King is being kept updated on the developing situation after the Gatwick-bound plane crashed, Buckingham Palace says.

(12:22) First time a Boeing 787 has come down like this

This Air India crash is the first time a Boeing 787 aircraft has come down like this.

The model was launched 14 years ago and just six weeks ago the US planemaker lauded the fact the model, also known as the Dreamliner, has reached the milestone of carrying 1 billion passengers.

To mark that occasion the company said the global 787 fleet of more than 1,175 airplanes has flown nearly 5 million flights covering more than 30 million flight hours.

The crash is a blow for the company which has been struggling to overcome a range of problems, including fatal crashes, with its 737 programmes.

It will be another test for CEO Kelly Ortberg who is about to mark his first anniversary in the job.

He was brought in to try and help Boeing sort out a range of problems that were raising questions about its future.

(12:18) First statement from Boeing

We’ve had an update from Boeing – as a reminder, the plane that crashed is a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner.

“We are aware of initial reports and are working to gather more information,” the statement says.

(12:17) The scenes are devastating, says Keir Starmer

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer says his thoughts are with the passengers and families of those on the Air India flight, which was bound for London Gatwick and crashed in Ahmedabad.

He says: “The scenes emerging of a London-bound plane carrying many British nationals crashing in the Indian city of Ahmedabad are devastating.

“I am being kept updated as the situation develops, and my thoughts are with the passengers and their families at this deeply distressing time.”

(12:14) Plane crashed into doctors’ hostel, say police

A senior police officer in Ahmedabad tells ANI news agency that the London-bound plane crashed into a doctors’ hostel, an accommodation for local medical professionals.

He says police, firefighters and other civic workers reached the spot within minutes. Rescue operations are still under way.

(12:13) Visibility was clear and weather was stable when plane crashed

Weather conditions were stable and clear when the plane crashed, says flight safety expert Marco Chan.

Surface winds were light and visibility was six kilometres, according to the aviation weather forecast at the time, known as METAR.

Chan adds “there were no significant clouds or weather phenomena reported, with no indications of wind shear, storms, or other adverse conditions that might have contributed to the incident”.

(12:10) UK working with Indian authorities – Foreign Office

The UK Foreign Office says “the UK is working with local authorities in India to urgently establish the facts and provide support to those involved”.

British nationals who require consular assistance or have concerns about friends or family should call 020 7008 5000.

(12:08) What we know so far

It’s been just over an hour since we first reported an Air India plane crashed near the airport in Ahmedabad.

Here’s what we know so far:

• There were 242 people on board, including two pilots and 10 cabin crew
• Of the passengers, there were 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, one Canadian national and seven Portuguese nationals

• The plane – a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner – gave a mayday call to air traffic control after taking off, but then gave no response
• Signal was lost seconds after take-off when the plane had reached 625 feet (190m), according to Flight Radar
• The plane came down in a residential area near the airport
• “Everyone is running right now trying to save as many lives as possible,” 

(12:02) Firefighters working through smoke on charred streets

We’ve now got more pictures from the scene in Ahmedabad:

(12:00) Everyone running to save as many lives as possible

The scene here is very shocking. Everyone is running right now trying to save as many lives as possible.

A rescue operation is going on at the spot very near to the airport.

Ambulances are all over the area. Roads are blocked.

Emergency response teams are still trying to extinguish a fire.

People say they heard a loud sound and watched black smoke coming out. Many people started to gather here. Volunteers in the nearby area are trying to help as much as they can.

The fire brigade officials then started the rescue operation. Bodies are still being taken from the area.

There has been no official confirmation about the crash or the number of casualties.

(11:58) 169 Indian nationals on board

Air India has now given the breakdown of the different nationalities on-board flight AI171.

There were 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, one Canadian national and seven Portuguese nationals on board.

The airline says the injured are being taken to the nearest hospitals.

(11:56) Fifty-three British nationals on board – Air India

Fifty-three British nationals were on board the flight bound for Gatwick airport, Air India says.

Details of other nationalities on board are still coming in.

(11:52) Aircraft gave mayday call, regulator says

We now have a statement from DGCA, India’s aviation regulator, which says the flight “crashed immediately after take-off from Ahmedabad”. The statement says:

• There were 242 people on board the aircraft, including two pilots and 10 cabin crew (an official earlier said there were 244 people on board)
• The captain had 8,200 hours of flying experience. The co-pilot had 1,100 hours of flying experience
• The aircraft departed from Ahmedabad at 13:39 IST from runway 23
• It gave a mayday call to air traffic control, but thereafter no response was given by the aircraft
• After departure, the plane crashed outside the airport perimeter

(11:41) All flights suspended at Ahmedabad airport

A spokesperson from the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad says the airport is currently not operational. All flight operations are suspended until further notice.

(11:34) 232 passengers and 12 crew members on board, official says

Faiz Ahmed Kidwai, chief of India’s directorate of civil aviation, tells the Associated Press the plane crashed into a residential area called Meghani Nagar.

There were 232 passengers and 12 crew members on board, he says.

(11:31) State minister orders rescue efforts on ‘war footing’

The Chief Minister of Gujarat – where Ahmedabad is state capital – says officials have been instructed to carry out “immediate rescue and relief operations” and to make arrangements on a “war footing”.

“I have also instructed officials to arrange a green corridor to transport the injured passengers for treatment and to ensure all necessary medical arrangements are made at the hospital on priority,” Bhupendra Patel writes on X, external.

(11:28) Flight to Gatwick involved in tragic accident – Air India chairman

In a statement posted on X, Air India’s chairman, Natarajan Chandrasekaran, says “with profound sorrow I confirm that Air India Flight 171 operating Ahmedabad London Gatwick was involved in a tragic accident today”.

“Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with the families and loved ones of all those affected by this devastating event,” he says.

“At this moment, our primary focus is on supporting all the affected people and their families.

“We are doing everything in our power to assist the emergency response teams at the site and to provide all necessary support and care to those impacted.

“Further updates will be shared as we receive more verified information. An emergency centre has been activated and support team have been set up for families seeking information.”

(11:26) First statement from Gatwick Airport

Gatwick Airport confirms the plane travelling from Ahmedabad was due to land at 18:25pm UK time.

In a statement on X, Gatwick Airport says: “We can confirm that flight AI171 that crashed on departure from Ahmedabad Airport today was due to land at London Gatwick at 18:25.”

First image from the scene

We are now getting images from the scene, showing black smoke billowing from the site of the crash.

We are on highest alert – minister

More now from Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu, India’s aviation minister.

“We are on highest alert. I am personally monitoring the situation and have directed all aviation and emergency response agencies to take swift and coordinated action.

“Rescue teams have been mobilised, and all efforts are being made to ensure medical aid and relief support are being rushed to the site. My thoughts and prayers are with all those on board and their families.”

Shocked and devastated, says India’s aviation minister

India’s Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu says he is “shocked and devastated” at the crash in Ahmedabad.

We’ll bring you more from his statement shortly.

Plane has capacity of 256, SeatGuru says

The aircraft that crashed is a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner with registration VT-ANB, according to FlightRadar.

SeatGuru says the plane has a total of 256 seats onboard – it’s not known exactly how many of those were occupied.

It was scheduled to land at 18:25 at Gatwick.

The plane’s history shows it regularly flies between India and destinations including Paris, Frankfurt, Tokyo, Amsterdam, and Melbourne.

What we know so far

• A passenger plane heading to London has crashed shortly after take-off in Ahmedabad, western India
• More than 200 people are believed to be on board
• The plane appears to have crashed in a residential area

• Signal was lost seconds after take-off when the plane had reached 625 feet, according to Flight Radar
• India’s aviation minister says rescue teams have been mobilised

Plane crashed outside airport perimeter – reports

India’s aviation regulator says the aircraft crashed after take-off “outside the airport perimeter”, Reuters news agency reports.

Signal from aircraft lost at 625 feet – Flight Radar

More now from flight-tracking website Flight Radar, which earlier said the signal was lost seconds after take-off.

Flight Radar says the Air India flight was scheduled to fly from Ahmedabad International Airport to London Gatwick Airport at 09:50 local time. Its scheduled arrival time was 18:25 local time.

The signal was lost at 10:08 local time at 625 feet, less than a minute after take-off.

Rescue teams mobilised, aviation minister says

India’s aviation minister says “we are on highest alert”, as “rescue teams have been mobilised”.

More than 200 passengers believed to be on board

The plane is understood to have been carrying more than 200 passengers.

Flightradar24 says last signal received seconds after take off

The flight tracking website, Flight Radar, says on X: “We are following reports of a crash of Air India flight #AI171, external from Ahmedabad to London.

“We received the last signal from the aircraft at 08:08:51 UTC, just seconds after take off.”

Plane appears to have crashed in residential area

Video on social media shows black fumes billowing. It appears to have crashed in a residential area.

Air India says incident involving flight bound for London Gatwick

We’ve just had this from Air India on X: “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.”

Plane crashes near airport in Ahmedabad, India

A plane has crashed near the airport in Ahmedabad, western India.

There are reports the plane was heading to the UK – that has not been confirmed.

According to Reuters agency, who cite police, 242 passengers were on board the flight.

We’re continuing to gather information on this fast developing story, stay with us.

Footage of the evacuation showed passengers huddled on the wing of the Boeing airliner, some holding bags, with flames burning near the bottom of the plane.

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said passengers used inflatable slides to reach the ground safely at theDenver International Airport. The agency said that it would investigate the cause of the incident.

There were no reports of serious injuries, although the airport later confirmed 12 people were taken to hospital for minor injuries.

The flight took off from nearby Colorado Springs and was on the way to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport in Texas, the FAA said in a statement to the BBC.

The plane diverted to Denver around 17:15 local time (23:15 GMT) after the crew reported “engine vibrations”, the FAA said.

After the plane landed, it caught fire while taxiing on the tarmac at the airport.

American Airlines said the plane had 172 passengers on board, along with six crew members. All were evacuated safely, the company said.

It added that the plane was a Boeing 737-800 and experienced an “engine-related issue”.

Smoke and flames were visible from various gates at the airport, according to airport spokesman Michael Konopasek. He said the fire was doused and it did not lead to delays for other flights.

Some of those inside the airport posted videos on social media showing the plane’s passengers walking toward the edge of the wing as large clouds of black smoke filled the air.

Ground crew can be seen rushing to the wing while pushing ladders.

Videos show flames under the plane’s right engine as an inflatable evacuation slide appears at the aircraft’s rear door.

The evacuation comes after a recent string of high-profile incidents in North America that have raised concerns about aviation safety.

A fatal crash in Washington DC left 67 people dead when an American Airlines regional jet collided mid-air with a US Army Black Hawk helicopter. The crash in the US capital city led to questions about air traffic controller shortages and their workloads.

US President Donald Trump’s administration has also terminated hundreds of FAA probationary workers as part of government cost-saving efforts.

The layoffs happened weeks after the fatal DC crash.

The laid-off FAA employees included maintenance mechanics, environmental compliance workers and technical assistants.

Trump has pushed to reduce government spending with tech billionaire Elon Musk spearheading efforts as part of the Department of Government Efficiency (Doge).

The Air Busan plane caught fire at Gimhae International Airport in the country’s south on 28 January – causing three people on board to sustain minor injuries.

On Friday, South Korea’s transport ministry said that interim investigation results indicate the fire may have started because insulation inside a power bank battery had broken down.

The power bank was found in an overhead luggage compartment where the fire was first detected, and its debris had scorch marks, according to the statement.

Investigators could not say what may have caused the battery breakdown, it added.

The update is also based only on interim findings, and is not a final accident report on the aircraft, an Airbus A321ceo.

Airlines around the world have banned power banks from checked luggage for years due to safety concerns, which relate to the lithium-ion batteries inside the devices.

These batteries can produce extreme heat and fire if damage or manufacturing faults cause them to short circuit.

Lithium-ion batteries of any kind have been banned from the cargo holds of passenger planes since 2016, as per a directive by the International Civil Aviation Organisation.

In the week after the Air Busan fire, the airline tightened those rules further, announcing that it would no longer allow passengers to keep power banks in their onboard luggage.

The carrier said the new rules were in response to an increase in the number of power banks that were overheating.

A growing number of airlines – including China Airlines and Thai Airways – are rolling out similar rules, with Singapore Airlines and its low-cost unit Scoot set to become the latest to ban the use and charging of power banks onboard from 1 April.

On 28 February, the South Korean government also announced that passengers boarding flights in the country would be required to carry portable batteries and chargers on their person, rather than storing them in overhead compartments.

A Cessna 172S and a Lancair 360 MK II, both fixed-wing, single-engine aircraft, had two passengers each aboard when they collided at Marana Regional Airport, north-west of Tucson, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said.

The NTSB, which is leading the investigation into the incident, said on X that based on preliminary information, the aircraft “collided while upwind of runway 12”, which is one of two runways at the airport.

It added that the Cessna “landed uneventfully” while the Lancair “impacted terrain near runway 3 and a post-impact fire ensued.”

No information about the victims was provided.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said the two planes collided at around 08:25 local time (15:25GMT) on Wednesday.

“Two people were on board the Lancair and two people were on board the Cessna 172,” the statement said.

Marana Regional Airport is an “uncontrolled field”, meaning it does not have an operating air traffic control tower. Pilots often use a Common Traffic Advisory Frequency to announce their position to other pilots who are in the airport vicinity.

The deadly collision follows a recent string of aviation related incidents.

Last month a helicopter collided with an American Airlines passenger plane in Washington DC, killing all 64 passengers and three crew members.

The same week, a small medical transport plane crashed into several buildings in the US city of Philadelphia, killing all six people on board and at least one other person on the ground.

On Monday, a Delta Air Lines flight in Toronto skidded along the runway in flames before flipping over and coming to a dramatic halt upside down. All 80 people on board survived.

The latest crash comes as the US aviation sector on Wednesday called on Congress for emergency funding for air traffic control technology and staffing.

As it landed in the Canadian city, the plane skidded along the runway in flames before flipping over and coming to a halt upside down. Passengers described their amazement as most of them walked away without injuries.

It remains unclear what caused the incident, which is under investigation.

There were 76 passengers and four crew on the flight, which had travelled from the US city of Minneapolis before making its crash-landing in Canada.

A spokesperson for Delta said the money offer had no strings attached and did not affect customers’ rights.

The plane crew and emergency responders were praised for their quick work in removing people from the wrecked vehicle. The plane’s various safety features have also been credited for ensuring no loss of life.

All but one of the 21 passengers who were taken to hospital had been released by Wednesday morning, the airline said.

Delta’s chief told BBC’s US partner CBS News that the flight crew were experienced and trained for any condition.

The airline’s head Ed Bastian told CBS the plane crew had “performed heroically, but also as expected”, given that “safety is embedded into our system”. He said Delta was continuing to support those affected.

Several theories about what caused the crash have been suggested to the BBC by experts who reviewed footage, including that harsh winter weather and a rapid rate of descent played a role.

One passenger recalled “a very forceful event”, and the sound of “concrete and metal” at the moment of impact. Another said passengers were left hanging upside down in their seats “like bats”.

The cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder have been recovered from the wreckage. The investigation is being led by Canada’s Transportation Safety Board (TSB), supported by US officials.

The accident was the fourth major air incident in North America in a space of three weeks – and was followed on Wednesday by a crash in Arizona in which two people lost their lives when their small planes collided.

Experts continue to insist that air travel is overwhelmingly safe – more so than other forms of transport, in fact.

That message was emphasised by US Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy, who told CBS on Wednesday there was no pattern behind the incidents, each of which he said was “very unique”.

Airport CEO Deborah Flint said investigators will be reviewing the aircraft on the runway for the next 48 hours, adding that this was “not the time” to speculate on the cause of the crash.

The Delta Air Lines flight from Minneapolis skidded along the runway with flames visible before it came to a halt upside down.

Twenty-one people were injured, of which 19 have been released from the hospital, authorities said on Tuesday. The two patients do not face life-threatening injuries.

There were 76 passengers and four crew on board the 16-year-old CRJ900 aircraft, made by Canada’s Bombardier company.

Injuries at the time of the crash ranged from head injuries to back sprains, and nausea and vomiting due to jet fuel exposure, a representative for Peel Regional Paramedic Services said.

Experts told the BBC it was miraculous that everyone survived the crash, adding that the swift response of flight attendants and emergency crews helped save people, as well as plane safety improvements.

Passengers on board said they were hanging upside down in their seats and had to release themselves, falling on to the ceiling before clambering out on to the snow-covered tarmac. Firefighters quickly came to the rescue.

“We were upside down hanging like bats,” passenger Peter Koukov told CNN.

A child was among the injured but was in good condition as of Tuesday morning, the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto told the BBC’s US partner CBS News.

Although the airport had been experiencing “extreme” weather conditions, Monday was categorised as a “clear day” for operational recovery following prior disruption, officials said.

Two runways remained closed on Tuesday as the Transportation Safety Board of Canada continued its investigation into the crash.

Toronto was hit by a major snow storm over the weekend, but authorities said the runway was dry at the time of landing and that there were no cross-wind conditions.

Cross-wind conditions refer to when wind blows opposite to the direction of travel which could affect vehicles and aircraft by pushing them sideways and requiring corrective action to maintain control.

Before the crash, authorities said snow had stopped and “frigid temperatures and high winds [were] moving in”.

Audio recording from Pearson’s air traffic control tower, reported on by the Canadian Press, shows the flight was cleared to land shortly after 14:00 on Monday, and that the tower had warned the pilots of a possible air flow “bump” in the glide path from a plane in front of it.

Analysts say it is possible the plane may have struck an item on the runway such as a light when it landed.

The crash is at least the fourth major aviation incident in North America in the past month, including an American Airlines plane in Washington, DC, that collided with a US Army helicopter, killing all 67 people on board.

Images shared on social media show a plane which appears to have flipped over and is lying on its roof on the snow-covered tarmac. It appears to be missing at least one of its wings.

Toronto Pearson airport said it involved a Delta Air Lines flight arriving from Minneapolis, and that “all passengers and crew are accounted for”.

Fifteen people have been transported to hospital in total, the local paramedic service said.

Ontario air ambulance service Ornge said it haddispatched three air ambulance helicopters and two land ambulances to the scene.

The US Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) said the plane involved was Delta Air Lines Flight 4819, being operated by Endeavor Air.

All 80 people on board were evacuated, it said, adding that the Transportation Safety Board of Canada will be in charge of investigating what happened.

Delta said it was aware of reports of the incident, and it was “working to confirm any details and will share the most current information… as soon as it becomes available”.

Video footage shared on social media shows people clambering out of the overturned aircraft, with fire crews spraying it with foam.

Constable Sarah Patten of the Peel Regional Police in Ontario said “there is a plane crash, however we don’t know the circumstances surrounding it at this point,” according to the news agency Reuters.

“It is my understanding that most of the passengers are out and unharmed but we’re still trying to make sure so we’re still on scene investigating,” she said.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford said provincial officials are in contact with the airport and local authorities and will provide any help that’s needed.

After the crash, the airport’s arrival and departure boards showed scores of delays and cancellations to flights.

The FAA said there was a ground stop at the airport – which requires aircraft to remain on the ground.

Toronto Pearson airport had been experiencing weather-related delays over the last few days, with heavy snowfall and freezing temperatures battering parts of Ontario.

The rollout is set to happen in 2026.

Investigators said last week that they had found evidence of a bird strike on the Boeing 737-800 plane – with feathers and blood stains found on both the plane’s engines.

An investigation into the crash – the deadliest on South Korean soil – is still ongoing but will focus on the role of the bird strike as well as a concrete structure at the end of the runway, which the plane slammed into after making an emergency landing.

“Bird detection radars will be installed at all airports to enhance early detection of distant birds and improve response capabilities for aircraft,” said the Ministry of Land in a statement on Thursday.

Bird detection radar detects the size of birds and their movement paths and relays this information to air traffic controllers.

The ministry added that all airports would also need to be equipped with at least one thermal imaging camera.

Currently only four airports in South Korea are equipped with thermal imaging cameras. It is unclear if any of them have bird detection radars in place.

Sites that attract birds, like rubbish dumps, must also be moved away from airports.

Earlier last month, South Korea announced that seven airports would have their runway safety areas adapted following a review of all the country’s airports that was carried out after the crash.

The cause of the crash is still unknown but air safety experts had earlier said the number of casualties could have been much lower if not for the structure that the plane crashed into after making an emergency landing.

On 29 December, the plane, from budget airline Jeju Air, had taken off from Bangkok and was flying to Muan International Airport in the country’s south-west.

At about 08:57 local time, three minutes after pilots made contact with the airport, the control tower advised the crew to be cautious of “bird activity”.

At 08:59, the pilot reported that the plane had struck a bird and declared a mayday signal.

The pilot then requested permission to land from the opposite direction, during which it belly-landed without its landing gear deployed. It overran the runway and exploded after slamming into the concrete structure, a preliminary investigation report concluded.

Flight data and cockpit voice recorders stopped recording four minutes before the disaster, an investigation into the black boxes later found.

The 179 passengers onboard the Boeing B737-800 plane were aged between three and 78 years old, although most were in their 40s, 50s and 60s. Two cabin crew members were the only survivors.