Firefighters are working at the site where Air India Flight 171 crashed in a residential area near Ahmedabad Airport in western India, on June 12, 2025. (Credit: Sam Panthaky/AFP.)
BEIRUT — Over 200 people died after an Air India plane en route to London crashed in the city of Ahmedabad, in western India, on Thursday, Kanan Desai, a senior city police official, told Reuters.
He also stated that there are "probably no survivors" among the 242 passengers on board the aircraft, while police have reported recovering 204 bodies so far.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was "upset" by the accident. "The Ahmedabad tragedy has profoundly moved us. It's an indescribable suffering. In this painful hour, my thoughts are with all those affected," he said on X, adding that he was in contact with ministers and authorities striving to assist those affected.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer also commented on the incident, stating that the images of the crash were "devastating" and that he was being kept informed of developments. "My thoughts are with the passengers and their families during these deeply painful moments," he said in a statement.
The UK also announced it was working with Indian authorities to urgently determine the circumstances of the crash and provide support to the families of the passengers, the country's Foreign Office said in a statement.
According to Air India, 53 British nationals were on board flight AI171, among the 242 passengers and crew members.
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