Lucknow/Delhi [India], June 12 : Politicians from across the country have expressed deep sorrow and extended condolences following the tragic crash of an Air India flight near Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport (SVPIA) in Gujarat's Ahmedabad on Thursday.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, while addressing a gathering in Lucknow, conveyed his heartfelt condolences to the families affected by the crash.
"I express deep sorrow over the incident in Ahmedabad. My prayers are with the bereaved families and those injured in the accident," CM Yogi said.
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta also issued a statement reacting to the tragic event.
In a post on X she said, " The news of Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad is extremely painful and shocking. I express my deepest condolences to all the passengers and their families. I pray to God that all the passengers remain safe and the injured get speedy recovery. We stand with all the affected families with full sensitivity in this difficult time."
Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma also expressed sorrow in a post on X, praying for the well-being of those on board.
"The news of the Air India flight crash in Ahmedabad, Gujarat is extremely sad and worrying. I pray to God for the well-being and safety of all the passengers and crew members in this unfortunate incident," CM Sharma said.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami called the incident "extremely sad and painful." Relief and rescue work is going on at war footing, I pray to God for the safety of the passengers," he said.
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini described the crash as "unfortunate" and also offered prayers for the safety of everyone on board.
According to an Air India statement, the Boeing 787-8 aircraft, operating as Flight AI-171, departed from Ahmedabad at 1:38 pm IST with 242 people on board, including crew.
"The flight, which departed from Ahmedabad at 1338 hrs, was carrying 242 passengers and crew members on board the Boeing 787-8 aircraft. Of these, 169 are Indian nationals, 53 are British nationals, 1 Canadian national and 7 Portuguese nationals. The injured are being taken to the nearest hospitals. We have also set up a dedicated passenger hotline number 1800 5691 444 to provide more information," the airline said in a statement.
Air India Chairman N Chandrasekaran confirmed the crash and expressed deep condolences to the families of the victims.
"With profound sorrow, I confirm that Air India Flight 171 operating from Ahmedabad to 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 said in a statement.
He added that the airline's immediate focus is on extending full support to those impacted by the tragedy.
"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," Chandrasekaran said.
"Further updates will be shared as we receive more verified information. An emergency centre has been activated and a support team have been set up for families seeking information," he added.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said that a team has been rushed to the spot for investigation. "On 12th Jun, 2025, Air India B787 Aircraft VT-ANB, while operating flight AI-171 from Ahmedabad to Gatwick, has crashed immediately after takeoff from Ahmedabad. There were 242 people on board the aircraft, consisting of 2 pilots and 10 cabin crew," said a senior DGCA official.
The aircraft was under the command of Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, an LTC with 8,200 hours of flying experience. He was assisted by with First Officer Clive Kundar, who had 1,100 hours of flying experience, the official said.
As per Air Traffic Control (ATC), the aircraft departed from Runway 23 at 1339 IST (0809 UTC). It gave a mayday call to ATC, but thereafter, no response was given by the aircraft to the calls made by ATC.
"Aircraft immediately after departure from Runway 23, fell on the ground outside the airport perimeter. Heavy black smoke was seen coming from the accident site," the official added.