Ahmedabad/New Delhi, June 12, 2025 — Former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani is confirmed among the 242 passengers on board Air India Flight AI171, which crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on Thursday afternoon. Rupani, who served as Chief Minister from 2016 to 2021, has sadly been declared one of the dead in what is now India’s deadliest civil aviation disaster.
Flight AI171, a Boeing 787‑8 Dreamliner bound for London Gatwick, crashed into the mess hall of B.J. Medical College’s doctors’ hostel in the Meghani Nagar neighbourhood at around 1:38 PM local time. The impact and resulting fire engulfed both the aircraft and the building, leaving no survivors.
Rupani, aged 68, was traveling on the flight according to official manifest data released this evening, and his death was confirmed by listings and statements from state and central authorities. The crash occurred during lunch hours at the hostel, resulting in the deaths of at least five medical students and injuring more than 40 others on the ground .
Rescue operations were launched immediately, involving the National Disaster Response Force, local fire services, and police. Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel has visited the site and hospital, overseeing treatment for survivors and ensuring government assistance for families. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah also responded swiftly, ordering relief efforts on a war-footing .
The crash marks the first fatal hull loss of a Boeing 787 since its introduction. Aviation authorities including the Directorate General of Civil Aviation and the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau are recovering the aircraft’s black boxes and analyzing flight data and maintenance records. Boeing and GE Aerospace have pledged technical assistance .
A published obituary for Rupani will follow once formal notifications are made by the Gujarat government. His unexpected demise as a result of a peacetime civil aviation accident underscores the unprecedented scale of this tragedy.
