New Delhi/Ahmedabad, June 12, 2025: Three National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams, comprising 90 personnel, have reached the crash site of Air India Flight AI 171 near Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad. An additional three teams are being dispatched from Vadodara to assist with rescue efforts, according to an official spokesperson .
Flight AI 171, a Boeing 787‑8 Dreamliner carrying 242 people—including 230 passengers and 12 crew—issued a Mayday call shortly after takeoff at 1:38 p.m. and crashed into a residential area near Meghani Nagar . Thick smoke billowed from the wreckage as emergency crews rushed to extinguish fires and search for survivors .
Union Home Minister Amit Shah contacted Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, the state home minister, and Ahmedabad’s police commissioner to assess the situation and coordinate aid. Shah expressed being “pained beyond words” and assured full central government support .
Prime Minister Narendra Modi directed Shah and Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu to swiftly travel to Ahmedabad and oversee rescue operations with a “war‑footing” approach, ensuring all necessary assistance is provided .
Authorities have recovered at least 30 bodies so far, and many people remain injured or missing, with hospitals in Ahmedabad treating the wounded .
The airport has suspended all flight operations until further notice. Investigation teams, including the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, are examining flight data, maintenance records, and crew communications to determine the cause .
