Air India Crash Update: Pilot's Final Words Revealed as Families Await Victims' Return
LIVE – Updated at 07:14
Indian aviation officials have confirmed that the final words of the pilot of the doomed Air India Flight 171 , moments before the plane crashed into buildings near Ahmedabad ’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, were Mayday distress calls.
“Thrust not achieved... falling... Mayday! Mayday! Mayday!” the pilot said before the catastrophic crash that killed at least 270 people on Thursday.
The Boeing Dreamliner, with 242 people on board bound for Gatwick Airport , began losing height seconds after take-off and erupted in a fireball as it hit buildings, in what has been the world's worst aviation disaster in a decade.
India has ordered all Boeing 787s being operated by local carriers to be inspected . The company said it will provide an interim payment of Rs2.5m (£21,000) each to the families of the deceased and to the survivor, to help address immediate financial needs, in addition to Rs10m (£85,000) in support announced previously by the Tata Group.
Meanwhile, dozens of anxious family members were waiting outside an Ahmedabad hospital to collect the bodies of victims.
Families in India with concerns can call Air India on 1800 5691 444. Those outside India can call the British Foreign Office on 020 7008 5000.
Key Points
- Pilot's last words were 'Mayday'
- British investigators arrive in India
- India may ground Boeing 787 fleet – report
- Further body recovered from tail of plane, officials say
- Bodies returned to families as identities of victims confirmed
Pilot's last words were 'Mayday'
07:13 , Stuti MishraIndian aviation officials have confirmed that the final words of the pilot of the doomed Air India Flight 171 , moments before the plane crashed into buildings near Ahmedabad ’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, were Mayday distress calls.
“Thrust not achieved... falling... Mayday! Mayday! Mayday!” the pilot said before the catastrophic crash that killed at least 270 people on Thursday.
The call was received at air traffic control (ATC) seconds before all communications stopped.
Newlywed heading to London among Air India crash victims as family awaits her body
06:45 , Stuti MishraKhushboo Rajpurohit, 21, was among the victims of the Air India Express crash. On Sunday, her family gathered outside the mortuary complex at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital to collect her mortal remains.
“We have been told that the body will be handed over shortly. She last spoke to her father before he dropped her off,” a relative told The Independent.
Her uncle, Kishore Rajpurohit, 56, said Khushboo had only recently married and was preparing to start a new life in London.
“She got married on 17 January this year and was awaiting visa clearance to be able to travel to London and live with her husband,” he said.
Her father had gone to the airport to see her off.
“He waited till she boarded and had not even crossed Mehsana when we learnt of the crash,” Mr Rajpurohit added.
The family was informed on Sunday morning by a government-appointed nodal officer that a DNA match had confirmed Khushboo’s identity.
Ambulance drivers on standby as Gujarat officials begin transporting crash victims’ bodies
06:20 , Namita SinghAmbulance drivers from across Gujarat have been stationed outside Ahmedabad Civil Hospital as authorities begin handing over the bodies of victims from the Air India crash.
Mahindra Singh, a 45-year-old ambulance driver from Kheda, said he had been waiting since morning.
“I have come from Kheda. I’ve been told to carry two bodies. I’ve come just with the staff. I’ve been here since Saturday morning, around 10 or 11am,” he told The Independent .
Mr Singh explained that the coordination process is strictly managed by government officials.
“First I will receive a call that the body is ready for transportation. We are not supposed to contact the families. A nodal officer from here will inform the families at home that the mortal remains have been dispatched,” he said.
Bharat Godia, who arrived from Kutch, said they had brought multiple ambulances on orders from the district administration.
“We’ve been told by the Kutch administration that we are to bring back the bodies of those killed in the plane crash. We have at least five ambulances from Kutch. Government officials will be accompanying the bodies,” he said.
Earlier, a relative of one of the victims told The Independent that each bereaved family has been assigned a nodal officer, who will contact them once a DNA match has been confirmed.
Families begin receiving bodies of Air India crash victims under tight police security
05:44 , Namita SinghThere is a heavy police presence around the mortuary complex at Civil Hospital, Ahmedabad, as the painful process of body handover begins.
According to officials on duty, at least 19 bodies have been handed over to the kin of the plane crash victims so far. However, there has been no official confirmation.
Watch | King holds minute's silence for Air India crash victims
04:00 , Jabed Ahmed‘My grandson was burnt alive’: Grief engulfs neighbourhood where Air India crash killed dozens on the ground
03:00 , Jabed AhmedMiracle sole survivor of Air India flight 171 reveals how he escaped the wreckage
Watch | Air India crash sole survivor recalls how he escaped plane
02:00 , Jabed AhmedUK student missed doomed Air India flight by minutes: ‘It’s a miracle’
01:00 , Jabed AhmedUK student missed doomed Air India flight by minutes: ‘It’s a miracle’
Air India victims: Dr Prateek Joshi and family
Saturday 14 June 2025 23:59 , Jabed AhmedDr Prateek Joshi, a radiologist at the Royal Derby Hospital, was on the Air India flight with his family, Derby Hindu Temple said.
Dr Joshi had moved to Derby from India in 2021, a colleague who worked closely with him said.
Dr Rajeev Singh said: “He often entertained colleagues with stories about his passions outside of work, including his newly discovered love of fish and chips and enthusiasm for walking in the Peak District.
“He touched the lives of so many people, both through his clinical work and as a colleague and friend to many.
“It is hard to accept that a man with such a passion for life, and his beautiful young family, have been taken in this way.”
British victims on Air India: Jamie Ray and Fiongal Greenlaw-Meek
Saturday 14 June 2025 23:00 , Jabed AhmedA British couple who ran a spiritual wellness company were also thought to be among the victims.
Jamie Ray Greenlaw-Meek and his husband Fiongal Greenlaw-Meek, from London, were returning home on the flight after a 10-day wellness retreat, Jamie Meek’s brother said.
Their company, the Wellness Foundry, which is in Vauxhall, south London, offers psychic readings, tarot cards and aura readings, and has worked with Netflix, Google and Dior.
Its website says Fiongal founded the company in 2018 after experiencing a spiritual awakening following a mysterious illness.
His husband joined the team in 2023 as co-director and head of events, and offered psychic readings and life coaching.
In January, Fiongal appeared on ITV’s This Morning to talk about the meanings of people’s auras. A clip shows him joking and laughing with presenters Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard before performing a reading.
On Instagram, the Wellness Foundry described the appearance as their “biggest gig so far”, adding that it was “very nerve-wracking” but that he was “honoured to chat about one of his favourite topics to such a big audience”.
As they waited to board their flight in Ahmedabad, the couple posted a video from the airport about their “magical experience” in India.
Miracle sole survivor of Air India flight 171 reveals how he escaped the doomed plane
Saturday 14 June 2025 22:00 , Jabed AhmedMiracle sole survivor of Air India flight 171 reveals how he escaped the wreckage
Watch | On the ground at Ahmedabad hospital as Air India crash death toll updated
Saturday 14 June 2025 21:57 , Jabed AhmedRecap: King remember victims of Air India plane disaster at Trooping the Colour
Saturday 14 June 2025 21:04 , Holly BancroftThe King has celebrated his official birthday with an eco-friendly flypast by the Red Arrows and remembered all those killed in the Air India plane disaster.
Trooping the Colour was a display of military pomp and pageantry but Charles asked for the traditional programme to include a minute’s silence, and for senior royals and officers taking part to wear black armbands as a mark of respect.
King remember victims of Air India plane disaster at Trooping the Colour
More than £370,000 raised to support two girls orphaned by Air India crash
Saturday 14 June 2025 20:01 , Holly BancroftMore than £370,000 has been raised for two children who were orphaned when their father was killed in the Air India plane crash.
Their father had travelling to India to scatter his wife’s ashes in her homeland, according to a fundraiser for the family.
Arjun Patoliya, 37, was killed 18 days after his wife Bharti had died from cancer, the GoFundMe page to support their daughters, aged four and eight, said.
The Briton had travelled to Gujarat to fulfil his wife's "final wish".
By Saturday afternoon more than £370,000 had been raised to help the girls.
The fundraiser, organised by Mr Patoliya's colleague, said: "Their mother, Bharti Patoliya, passed away after a courageous battle with cancer.
"Fulfilling her final wish, her husband Arjun Patoliya travelled to India to scatter her ashes in her homeland in Gujarat."
Recap: India urgently inspecting all Boeing 787s
Saturday 14 June 2025 19:04 , Holly BancroftIndia is urgently inspecting all Boeing 787s after a devastating Air India crash that claimed at least 270 lives this week, the aviation minister said on Saturday, adding that the authorities were investigating all possible causes.
The aviation regulator on Friday ordered Air India to conduct additional maintenance checks on its Boeing 787-8/9 aircraft equipped with GEnx engines, including assessments of certain take-off parameters, electronic engine control tests and engine fuel-related checks .
"We have also given the order to do the extended surveillance of the 787 planes. There are 34 in our Indian fleet," aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu told a media briefing in New Delhi.
"Eight have already been inspected, and with immediate urgency, all of them are going to be done."
India urgently inspecting all Boeing 787s after Air India crash kills at least 270
Watch | Air India CEO says process of reuniting 'next of kin with their loved ones' has begun in latest update
Saturday 14 June 2025 18:28 , Jabed AhmedYoung girls orphaned after father dies in Air India plane crash on way back from scattering wife’s ashes
Saturday 14 June 2025 18:02 , Holly BancroftTwo young sisters have been left orphaned after their father died in the Air India plane crash , just weeks after their mother died from cancer, Jabed Ahmed writes.
Arjun Patoliya had travelled to India to hold a funeral for his wife Bharti. After fulfilling his wife’s dying wish to scatter her ashes in Gujarat , Mr Patoliya boarded the Air India flight to Gatwick to return home to his two daughters, aged four and eight.
Girls orphaned as father dies in Air India crash weeks after mother’s death
Air India announces £21,000 interim compensation for crash victims’ families
Saturday 14 June 2025 17:31 , Jabed AhmedAir India will provide interim compensation of £21,000 to the families of those who died in the recent crash, as well as to the sole survivor, the airline has confirmed.
The payment is intended to help cover immediate financial needs and comes in addition to the £85,000 support already pledged by parent company Tata Sons.
“Our teams on the ground are doing everything possible to extend care and support during this incredibly difficult time,” the airline said in a statement on X.
“All of us at Air India are deeply saddened by this loss. We mourn with the families, loved ones, and everyone affected.”
The questions behind the Air India plane crash: What caused it and what happens next?
Saturday 14 June 2025 17:01 , Holly BancroftInvestigators are currently exploring what happened to cause the Air India flight bound for London to crash barely a minute after take-off.
Here are some of the answered and unanswered questions about the world’s deadliest air disaster in a decade.
The questions behind the Air India plane crash: What caused it and what happens next?
‘My grandson was burnt alive’: Grief engulfs neighbourhood where Air India crash killed dozens on the ground
Saturday 14 June 2025 16:45 , Holly BancroftGrief hangs heavy in Meghani Nagar in Ahmedabad , as the wreckage of a London‑bound Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner lies smouldering in the compound of BJ Medical College, reports Namita Singh.
The devastating crash – which took place around 2pm local time on Thursday – left emergency services scrambling amid thick plumes of smoke and debris, entire streets in shock and families shattered. All but one of the 242 people on board the flight were killed, but there were dozens more fatalities on the ground as the plane came down in a residential area.
Among those devastated by the unfathomable tragedy is the Patni family. Seventy-year-old Babibehen Babu Bhai Patni sits on the gritty communal floor of her residential society, utterly inconsolable.
She mourns her 12-year-old grandson Akash, whose life was tragically cut short, while her son and daughter‑in‑law suffered grievous injuries.
Read the full on the ground report here:
Grief engulfs neighbourhood where Air India Flight 171 killed dozens on the ground
Pictured: Investigators work at the scene of the plane crash
Saturday 14 June 2025 16:32 , Holly BancroftInvestigators at the scene as a crane retrieves part of the fuselage of the Air India Boeing 787 on Saturday.
Families worried about delays in being reunited with loved ones' bodies
Saturday 14 June 2025 15:58 , Holly BancroftWhile the Indian authorities are working to identify the bodies of people killed in the Air India crash, dozens of anxious family members have been waiting outside an Ahmedabad hospital in anticipation.
Rafiq Abdul Hafiz Memon, who lost four relatives in the incident, said he was not getting any answers from authorities.
"We have lost our children ... we are not understanding anything. Please help us get information about our children. Tell us when they are going to release their bodies," Memon said.
Another father was upset about not being able to get the body of his son, Harshad Patel, saying he was told by authorities it will take 72 hours for DNA profiling. "The authorities are trying to help but our patience is running out," he said.
Most bodies in the crash were badly charred and authorities are using dental samples to run identification checks.
At least 11 DNA samples have been matched so far, and authorities expect to hand over three bodies by Saturday evening, said Rajnish Patel, a senior official at the Ahmedabad Civil Hospital. He told reporters that the matching of samples was a meticulous process that had to be done slowly.
Jaishankar Pillai, a forensic dentist, told reporters on Friday they had the dental records of 135 charred victims, which can then be matched through reference to victims' prior dental charts, radiographs or other records.
Even for doctors, things are getting difficult, as the plane struck a hostel building of the B.J. Medical College, where many of the dead are undergoing identification checks.
"Most of us are struggling with our emotions and are mentally disturbed because of the loss of friends and colleagues," said one doctor who did not wish to be named.
"The loss of so many colleagues and friends in this incident is difficult."
Watch: Air India crash sole survivor recalls how he escaped plane
Saturday 14 June 2025 15:35 , Holly Bancroft‘It’s all very raw’: Twenty victims of the Air India plane disaster connected to the same London temple
Saturday 14 June 2025 15:02 , Holly BancroftHundreds, if not thousands, of people have been left in mourning after the Air India plane disaster claimed more than 240 lives on Thursday.
But one north-west London community, some 4,000 miles away from the Ahmedabad crash site, is feeling the impact more than most.
Twenty of the victims have connections to the same temple in Harrow , its leader has said, with multiple families now trying to come to terms with what has happened, Holly Evans writes.
Read more here:
Twenty victims of Air India plane disaster all connected to the same London temple
Air India crash could trigger India's biggest aviation insurance payout
Saturday 14 June 2025 14:43 , Holly BancroftThe deadly Air India crash could become the most expensive aviation insurance claim in India ’s history, insurance experts say.
The total liability could range from $211m to $280m (approximately £166m to £220m), according to estimates reported by Press Trust of India. This includes the full hull value of the aircraft, compensation for victims’ families under international aviation law, and payouts for third-party property damage and loss of life on the ground.
Read more from Stuti Mishra here:
Air India crash likely to trigger India’s biggest aviation insurance payout
Bodies returned to families as identities of victims confirmed
Saturday 14 June 2025 14:37 , Namita Singh in AhmedabadIndian Administrative Service officer Alok Pandey and additional medical superintendent of Civil Hospital, Dr Rajnish Patel, are giving an update at the hospital where many of the injured are being treated.
At a press conference, they said one body has been handed over to the family of the deceased. Two more will be handed over later on Saturday.
11 DNA samples of the victims have been matched so far, they said.
And they said authorities have managed to get in touch with the families of all foreign nationals involved.
India's aviation regulator orders inspection of all Boeing 787s
Saturday 14 June 2025 14:36 , Holly BancroftIndia's aviation regulator has ordered all Boeing 787s being operated by local carriers to be inspected after an Air India crash killed 270 people this week, the aviation minister said on Saturday, adding the authorities were investigating all possible causes.
The aviation regulator on Friday ordered Air India to conduct additional maintenance checks on its Boeing 787-8/9 aircraft equipped with GEnx engines, including assessments of certain take-off parameters, electronic engine control tests and engine fuel-related checks.
"We have also given the order to do the extended surveillance of the 787 planes. There are 34 in our Indian fleet," aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu told a media briefing in New Delhi.
"Eight have already been inspected and with immediate urgency, all of them are going to be done."
Further body recovered from tail of plane
Saturday 14 June 2025 14:31 , Namita Singh in AhmedabadA further body has been recovered from the tail of the plane, officials said on Saturday.
Giving an update at Civil hospital, in the Ahmedabad area where the crash happened, Indian Administrative Service Officer, Alok Pandey, said the body was in addition to the 241 already recovered but they refused to confirm the final death toll
King Charles wears black armband as mark of respect for Air India plane crash victims
Saturday 14 June 2025 14:24 , Holly BancroftKing Charles and other senior royals wore black armbands at the "Trooping the Colour" military parade on Saturday as a mark of respect for the victims of the Air India plane crash.
A minute's silence was held after the king inspected the parade, which marks his official birthday.
King Charles requested the changes "as a mark of respect for the lives lost, the families in mourning and all the communities affected by this awful tragedy", a Buckingham Palace spokesperson said.
Full story: All we know about the Air India crash so far
Saturday 14 June 2025 14:10 , Stuti MishraAt least 270 people have been confirmed dead after an Air India flight bound for London crashed shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad, India, on Thursday, in what is now the world’s deadliest air disaster in a decade.
Here’s everything we know so far:
Full story: The lucky woman who missed the Air India flight
Saturday 14 June 2025 13:40 , Stuti MishraA student has described the “miracle” of missing the Air India flight that crashed, killing 241 people on board.
Bhoomi Chauhan, 28, said she was angry and frustrated after a traffic jam on the way to the airport meant she missed boarding the flight by just ten minutes.
Ms Chauhan, a business administration student who lives in Bristol, said she was turned away by airport staff.
Read more:
UK student missed doomed Air India flight by minutes: ‘It’s a miracle’
Captain sent may day call less a minute after take off, authorities confirm
Saturday 14 June 2025 13:26 , Holly BancroftThe captain of the Air India flight that crashed on Thursday sent a distress call to air traffic control less a minute after take off, India’s aviation authorities confirmed on Saturday.
Captain Sumeet Sabharwal sent a may day call at 1:39pm. Samir Kumar Sinha, a secretary for India’s aviation ministry, said that “there was no response” when air traffic control responded to the emergency message.
Indian aviation authorities have said that “every theory going around about the crash will be looked at”.
Full story: Why did the Air India flight crash? Here’s how experts will investigate the 30-second disaster
Saturday 14 June 2025 13:10 , Stuti MishraInvestigators in India are trying to identify the cause of the Air India plane crash that killed all but one of the 242 passengers onboard.
The flight , which had been bound for London Gatwick , came down shortly after taking off from the western city of Ahmadabad.
With speculation rife about the cause of the disaster, safety experts will soon be joined by a team from the UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) to work out what happened before the disaster on flight AI171 unfolded.
Read more from our travel correspondent Simon Calder.
Why did Air India flight crash? How experts will investigate the 30-second disaster
Friends remember ‘smiling’ doctor as family of five moving to London killed in Air India crash
Saturday 14 June 2025 12:40 , Stuti MishraDr Komi Vyas, a medical professional from Udaipur, had recently resigned from her position at a local hospital to begin a new life in London with her husband, Dr Prateek Joshi, and their three children.
That fresh start was tragically cut short when the Air India flight they were on crashed shortly after take-off in Ahmedabad.
A selfie taken on board the ill-fated Boeing 787 by Dr Joshi captures what would be their final family moment. In it, he and Dr Vyas are seen smiling in their seats, while their children – five-year-old twin boys, Nakul and Pradyut, and eight-year-old daughter, Miraya – sit across the aisle.
The couple, both doctors, were well known in Udaipur’s medical circles. They previously worked at Pacific Hospital before Dr Joshi moved to the UK several years ago. He had returned to their hometown of Banswara in Rajasthan earlier this week to accompany his wife and children back to London, where the family was planning to settle permanently.
A close friend and college mate of Dr Vyas, who requested anonymity, shared the devastating news with The Independent. “Komi was part of our 2004 MBBS batch – always smiling, full of charm. Even after college, we stayed in touch. She used to visit my clinic in Ahmedabad when she worked as an assistant professor in Rajasthan. The last time I spoke to her was in December – she had reached out about a consultation for her sister.”
He recalled how he found out about the tragedy. “I was in the operation theatre when the crash happened. Around 2pm, I got a call from my wife, who was also Komi’s classmate. She heard from a contact at Civil Hospital that Komi might have been on board the crashed flight. I rushed out of the OT and tried calling Komi, but there was no answer. Soon after, someone on our college WhatsApp group confirmed the devastating news – it was her, her three children, and her husband.”
The family had travelled to India for a vacation and were returning to London to begin a new chapter. “Komi and Prateek had planned to finally settle there now that their twins were turning five in August and their daughter was already of school-going age,” the friend explained. “With the children a bit older, it would’ve been easier for Komi to manage in a new country. This was supposed to be their big move.”
He also confirmed that Dr Vyas’s father had arrived in Ahmedabad and had submitted DNA samples for identification on Thursday. “He’s been at Civil Hospital since the day before yesterday, trying to complete the formalities. We’ve been told the children’s bodies were found early this morning, and the process is underway.”
As of Saturday evening, the remains of Dr Vyas and her family had not yet been released, pending DNA verification and identification.
Father of 12-year-old killed as Air India plane crashed waits for son’s remains
Saturday 14 June 2025 12:10 , Namita SinghSuresh Patni, 47, stands alone outside the hospital mortuary, waiting for the handover of his 12-year-old son’s remains. Akash Patni was charred beyond recognition when a passenger aircraft crashed into the college campus where his family ran a small tea stall.
The boy had accompanied his mother, Sitabehen Patni, to their stall as he often did. He was resting beneath a tree nearby when the plane came crashing down, engulfing the area in flames. Akash, fast asleep, had no chance to escape.
“He was burnt alive while sleeping,” Mr Patni says. “I have not even seen his body yet. It is not in a condition to be seen. It is so burnt that it cannot be identified.”
Mr Patni says he has submitted identification documents to the hospital to claim his son’s body. “The officials have told me they will hand it over by tonight or tomorrow morning.”
But he dreads the moment.
“I am all by myself here. I don’t know how I can bear to see him like that. How do I ask them to show me my son’s body?”
His wife, Sitabehen, remains in the intensive care unit with serious burn injuries. “She doesn’t know he’s gone,” he says. “She’s had more than 40 stitches to her face. The bleeding had to be stopped. I can’t even begin to tell her what’s happened.”
Hospital authorities told The Independent that most of the bodies recovered from the crash site have been shifted from the post-mortem room to cold storage, awaiting DNA confirmation and family handover.
Air India plane crashed just 33 seconds after take-off
Saturday 14 June 2025 11:40 , Stuti MishraOne of the strongest pieces of evidence being reviewed by investigators is a 59-second CCTV video that captured the moment the Air India flight took off and crashed in Ahmedabad.
The footage, recorded from the far left of the runway near a barbed-wire fence, shows the plane gaining altitude briefly, flying flat for a few seconds, and then descending with its tail down.
The descent began roughly 17 seconds after take-off. No fire is visible around the engines or elsewhere on the aircraft before impact, and the landing gear remains extended throughout the clip.
It took just 33 seconds from wheels-up to the fiery crash, which killed nearly everyone on board.
India increases surveillance of Boeing 787s
Saturday 14 June 2025 11:10 , Stuti MishraIndia's government is urgently inspecting all Boeing 787s after a devastating Air India crash that claimed at least 270 lives this week, the aviation minister just told reporters in a press briefing.
The aviation regulator on Friday ordered Air India to conduct additional maintenance checks on its Boeing 787-8/9 aircraft equipped with GEnx engines, including assessments of certain take-off parameters, electronic engine control tests and engine fuel-related checks.
"We have also given the order to do the extended surveillance of the 787 planes. There are 34 in our Indian fleet," aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu told a media briefing in New Delhi, without saying if the checks will apply to all Indian airlines.
"Eight have already been inspected and with immediate urgency, all of them are going to be done."
Air India operates 33 Boeing 787s, while rival airline IndiGo has one, according to data from Flightradar24.
The planes, however, have not been grounded, but a source on Friday told Reuters the Indian government was considering that as an option.
Mr Naidu also said the government will look at all possible theories of what led to the crash.
Investigators probe Air India crash cause
Saturday 14 June 2025 10:40 , Stuti MishraInvestigators are looking into at least three key issues that may have led to the Air India crash, a source with direct knowledge of the probe told Reuters.
While no official findings have been released, the investigation is examining potential problems with engine thrust, flap operations, and why the landing gear remained extended after take-off.
Anti-terror squads are also involved, though a bird strike is not currently considered a likely cause, the source said.
Officials are further exploring whether any maintenance lapses by Air India may have contributed to the disaster.
Full story: Death toll climbs in Air India crash
Saturday 14 June 2025 10:07 , Stuti MishraSearch and recovery teams continued scouring the site of one of India’s worst aviation disasters for a third day after the Air India flight fell from the sky and killed at least 270 people in Gujarat state, officials said.
The London -bound Boeing 787 struck a medical college hostel in a residential area of the northwestern city of Ahmedabad minutes after takeoff Thursday, killing 241 people on board and at least 29 on the ground . One passenger survived.
Recovery teams working until late Friday found at least 25 more bodies in the debris, officials said.
Read more:
At least 270 people killed in Air India crash as search teams find more bodies
Air India changes flight number after deadly crash
Saturday 14 June 2025 09:33 , Stuti MishraAir India will no longer operate its Ahmedabad–London service under the number AI171, after the deadly crash, according to a report.
The service will now run as AI159, with the return flight renumbered to AI160, Hindustran Times reported quoting officials.
“The idea behind changing the number of a flight is to avoid triggering trauma or bad memories,” a former airline official told the newspaper.
Renumbering flights is common after major air disasters — Malaysia Airlines changed MH370 to MH318 after its disappearance, and Lion Air altered JT610 to JT618 after a deadly crash in 2018.
How traffic saved student who missed Air India flight
Saturday 14 June 2025 09:05 , Stuti MishraA student missed her flight to London by just 10 minutes – a twist of fate that saved her life.
The 28-year-old business student from Bristol had been visiting Gujarat with her husband and was booked on Air India flight AI171, which crashed shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad on Thursday.
Bhumi Chauhan says she had checked in online and reached Ahmedabad airport at 12:20pm local time, just 10 minutes after boarding was due to start.
"I got late because I was stuck in traffic. I was upset (after being denied boarding) and reached the airport exit when I learnt the plane had crashed," she told Indian news channel NDTV,
She had travelled 200km from Ankleshwar but was delayed by city traffic.
Ms Chauhan said she was disappointed when she missed her flight, but minutes later everything changed.
"I was getting ready to step out of the airport when I learnt about the crash. I began shivering. My legs started trembling. I felt numb for quite some time," she said.
"My Ganpati ji (Hindu god) saved me," she added
Live: Scene after deadly Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad
Saturday 14 June 2025 08:27 , Stuti Mishra270 bodies recovered from Air India crash site
Saturday 14 June 2025 07:55 , Stuti MishraAt least 270 bodies have been recovered from the wreckage of the Air India plane that crashed into a medical college hostel in Ahmedabad, a hospital official has said, according to Reuters news agency.
The London-bound Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner was carrying 242 people when it lost altitude moments after take-off on Thursday and slammed into buildings near the airport, erupting in a massive fireball. Rescue teams have been working through the debris since the crash, which also killed several people on the ground.
Some victims’ bodies expected to be released as DNA identification process nears end
Saturday 14 June 2025 07:45 , Namita SinghThe bodies of several victims of the plane crash are expected to be released to their families by tomorrow evening, following the completion of the DNA sampling process, The Independent has learnt.
According to hospital officials, DNA samples of victims who could not be identified visually were submitted on Thursday. Their remains are likely to be handed over once the 72-hour verification window concludes.
In the meantime, the bodies of victims identified through visible body marks are expected to be released either by this evening or early tomorrow morning.
However, not all victims have undergone DNA sampling. For those cases, officials say the identification process may take longer, as DNA analysis typically requires a minimum of 72 hours.
Gujarat state's home minister and investigators at site of crash
Saturday 14 June 2025 07:17 , Stuti MishraGujarat’s minister of state for home, Harsh Sanghavi, is visiting the site of the crash, a day after prime minister Narendra Modi and home minister Amit Shah, my colleague Namita Singh reports from Ahmedabad.
Multiple Indian agencies, including the National Security Guard (NSG), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Indian Air Force, forensic teams, fire and rescue services are inspecting the wreckage of the London-bound Air India jet, which crashed into the rooftop of a doctors’ hostel in Ahmedabad.
The area remains fully cordoned off.
Indian Community in London pays tribute to victims outside high commission
Saturday 14 June 2025 06:45 , Stuti MishraBritish investigators arrive in India
Saturday 14 June 2025 06:15 , Stuti MishraBritish investigators have arrived in India to assist with the probe into the Air India plane crash that killed at least 260 people, including nearly all passengers and crew on board.
A team of four officials from the UK’s Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB), with expertise in aircraft operations, engineering and flight data, is now working in Ahmedabad alongside American and Indian counterparts.
"Their role is to provide additional support and expertise to the safety investigation being led by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau," the government said.
Natarajan Chandrasekaran, chairman of Tata – which owns Air India – said this was one of the “darkest days” in the group’s history and promised full transparency. “We don’t know right now [what caused the crash], but we will,” he said.
The Indian government has formed a committee to investigate the disaster, and officials confirmed the aircraft’s black box has been recovered. The panel will examine cockpit voice recordings, flight data and maintenance records and is expected to submit a report within three months.
British consular staff have also been deployed to assist with victim identification and coordinate with local authorities. The UK has been given 'expert' status in the Indian investigation but the release of official findings will rest with Indian authorities.
The Independent reports from Ahmedabad hospital after Air India plane disaster
Saturday 14 June 2025 06:00 , Stuti MishraMarkets shut in Rajkot to honour Vijay Rupani
Saturday 14 June 2025 05:30 , Stuti MishraShops and businesses remained closed in Rajkot today as the city mourned the death of former Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani in the Ahmedabad air crash.
Rupani, who served as chief minister of the state from 2016 to 2021, and was elected multiple times as MLA from the Rajkot West constituency, was among the dead when Air India flight AI171 crashed shortly after takeoff.
Authorities continue clearing debris on third day after crash
Saturday 14 June 2025 04:57 , Namita SinghAhmedabad municipal corporation workers continued to clear debris from the crash site using heavy machinery, now on the third day since the incident.
As of 9am local time (4.30am GMT), several senior police officials and personnel from the state rescue and disaster response team have been seen visiting the site.
The area remained cordoned off and inaccessible to civilians.
Here's what Air India CEO said after visiting crash site
Saturday 14 June 2025 04:30 , Stuti MishraAir India CEO Campbell Wilson said he was “deeply moved by the scenes” during a visit to the Ahmedabad crash site and promised the airline would be “fully transparent” in cooperating with investigations.
“Air India’s advanced team of nearly 100 caregivers and 40 engineering staff has now arrived in Ahmedabad,” he said in a video statement. “The technical team is now helping at the site and our caregivers are providing support to families.”
“We will also cover the medical expenses of those injured,” and confirmed compensation of approximately £85,000 ($115,000) would be given to families of those who died.
Friends and Relatives Assistance Centres have been set up in Ahmedabad, Delhi, Mumbai and Gatwick.
Watch | The British victims of Air India plane crash
Saturday 14 June 2025 04:00 , Jabed AhmedIndia sets up high-level committee to probe Air India crash cause
Saturday 14 June 2025 03:00 , Jabed AhmedA committee formed to investigate the root cause of the Air India crash will report within three months, the Indian government’s ministry of civil aviation has said.
The committee will have access to flight data, cockpit voice recordings and maintenance records.
“A high level multi-disciplinary committee is constituted for examining the causes leading to the crash,” a statement said.
“The Committee will examine the existing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and guidelines issued to prevent and handle such occurrences and suggest comprehensive guidelines for dealing with such instances in the future.
“The Committee will not be a substitute to other enquiries being conducted by relevant organisations but will focus on formulating SOPs for preventing and handling such occurrences in the future.”
Air India crash victims to be remembered at Trooping the Colour
Saturday 14 June 2025 02:00 , Jabed AhmedThe King will lead the nation in remembering those killed in the Air India plane crash when a minute’s silence is observed during Trooping the Colour.
Charles has requested the moment of reflection in tribute to the 241 passengers and crew killed, and others affected.
A Buckingham Palace spokesperson said the King requested amendments to the Trooping the Colour programme “as a mark of respect for the lives lost, the families in mourning and all the communities affected by this awful tragedy”.
The King issued a written message soon after the India plane crash saying he was “desperately shocked by the terrible events” and expressing his “deepest possible sympathy”.
He was kept updated about the developing situation on Thursday and it later emerged there was a sole survivor, UK national Vishwash Kumar Ramesh.
The minute’s silence will be observed after the King has inspected the guardsmen on the parade ground. It will be signalled by a bugler sounding the Last Post and will end with the Reveille.
Young girls orphaned after father dies in Air India plane crash on way back from scattering wife’s ashes
Saturday 14 June 2025 01:00 , Jabed AhmedGirls orphaned as father dies in Air India crash weeks after mother’s death
Tributes to 'dedicated doctor'
Friday 13 June 2025 23:59 , Jane DaltonA Derby radiologist who was killed in the crash has been described as a "dedicated and talented colleague” and a "wonderful man".
Dr Prateek Joshi died alongside his wife and three children.
Stephen Posey, chief executive of the University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust, said Dr Joshi was a "dedicated and talented colleague.
He said: "We are profoundly and deeply saddened at the loss of our dedicated and talented colleague, Dr Prateek Joshi and his family.
"Prateek was not only an excellent doctor for whom nothing was too much trouble, but also a warm, smiling and kind man who was a hugely liked and valued member of the team.
"We are privileged that Prateek chose to give his skills, talent and knowledge to the NHS, and he will be sorely missed by everyone who had the pleasure of working with him."
What caused the Air India flight to crash in 30 seconds?
Friday 13 June 2025 12:45 , Arpan RaiInvestigators in India are trying to identify the cause of the Air India plane crash that killed all but one of the 242 passengers onboard.
With speculation rife about the cause of the disaster, safety experts will soon be joined by a team from the UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) to work out what happened before the disaster on flight AI171 unfolded.
The investigators will draw evidence – including radar, CCTV and crucially the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) and flight data recorder (FDR) – to understand what factors were involved in the accident, the first fatal one involving the Boeing 787.
Our Travel Correspondent Simon Calder explains:
What caused Air India flight to crash in 30 seconds?
Miracle in seat 11A: British national survives Air India plane crash
Friday 13 June 2025 12:05 , Arpan RaiA British national miraculously survived the Air India disaster in which a Boeing 787 crashed and exploded moments after taking off, killing at least 246 people .
Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, 40, suffered relatively minor injuries and jumped out of an emergency exit next to his seat after Thursday’s crash in the western city of Ahmedabad. His brother Ajay, who was also on the plane, is missing and presumed dead.
There were 242 passengers and crew on board flight AI171 to London Gatwick when it plunged into the accommodation block of a medical college. Fifty students were taken to hospital for treatment and five are missing, say officials.
Miracle in seat 11A: British Vishwash Kumar Ramesh survives Air India plane crash
Timeline: Air India's troubles under the Tata Group show crash is just the latest of its crises
Friday 13 June 2025 11:55 , Arpan RaiThe Air India plane crash that led to the death of over 240 passengers has plunged the airline into its biggest crisis yet and will pose a significant challenge to its efforts to revamp its reputation and fleet.
The following is a timeline of the airline's troubles since its takeover by the Tata Group in January 2022.
- January 2022: Auto-to-steel conglomerate Tata Group takes control of state-run carrier Air India in January 2022, in a $2.2bn deal, ending years of struggle to privatise the financially troubled airline.
The Tata Group wants to recapture Air India's lost glory and compete with Gulf carriers, like Emirates, that capture the lion's share of west-bound Indian travellers. - January 2023: Air India faces criticism and around a $35,000 fine from the country's aviation regulator for its handling of an unruly passenger on a flight from New York in November 2022, and in December on a flight from Paris to Delhi. The regulator says the airline did not follow industry standards in its handling of the passengers.
- June 2023 : An Air India plane flying from Delhi to San Francisco is forced to divert and land at an airport in Russia's Far East after it develops a technical issue with one of its engines.
A similar incident on the same route occurs in July 2024 due to a potential issue in the cargo hold area.
- March 2024 : India's air safety watchdog fines the Tata Group-owned airline Rs 8,000,000 (nearly $93,000) for violating flight duty time limitations and fatigue management systems of its flight crew.
Air India did not provide adequate weekly rest, adequate rest before and after ultra-long flights or adequate rest on layovers for flight crew, violating revised rules, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said.
- March 2025 : Air India's $400m overhaul of its legacy aircraft's interiors has been dogged by supply chain issues that have delayed its aim of being a world class airline by months.
The first such upgraded jet enters service in March 2025, later than the mid-2024 target Air India had set when it announced the overhaul.
- May 2025 : Air India says it expects to face around $600m in additional costs if a ban from Pakistan's airspace lasts for a year, and asks the federal government to compensate it for the hit. Indian airlines braced for higher fuel costs and longer journey times after Pakistan shut its airspace to Indian carriers in a tit-for-tat retaliation following an attack on tourists in Kashmir.
What caused the Air India flight to crash in 30 seconds?
Friday 13 June 2025 10:49 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarInvestigators in India are trying to identify the cause of the Air India plane crash that killed all but one of the 242 passengers onboard.
With speculation rife about the cause of the disaster, safety experts will soon be joined by a team from the UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) to work out what happened before the disaster on flight AI171 unfolded.
The investigators will draw evidence – including radar, CCTV and crucially the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) and flight data recorder (FDR) – to understand what factors were involved in the accident, the first fatal one involving the Boeing 787.
Simon Calder reports.
What caused Air India flight to crash in 30 seconds?
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