The death toll from the tragic crash of Air India Flight 171 in Ahmedabad has risen to at least 269 people, making it the deadliest aviation disaster in India in decades.
The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, en route from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, crashed shortly after takeoff on June 12, 2025, into a residential area near B.J. Medical College. The aircraft was carrying 242 people, including 230 passengers and 12 crew members.
Among the victims were 169 Indian nationals, 53 British citizens, 7 Portuguese nationals, and 1 Canadian.
At least 28 individuals on the ground also lost their lives, including medical students and staff in the hostel building struck by the plane.
Remarkably, one passenger, British national Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, survived the crash. Seated in 11A, next to an emergency exit, Ramesh was found with multiple injuries but was conscious and able to walk unaided to an ambulance. His brother, who was also on the flight, did not survive.
Rescue teams, including sniffer dogs, have been combing the crash site, and authorities are conducting DNA testing to confirm the identities of the deceased.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the devastated neighborhood, describing the crash as “heartbreaking beyond words”.
The investigation into the cause of the crash is ongoing, with authorities recovering the aircraft’s black box to aid in determining the exact cause of the incident.
