Boeing has issued a brief statement following the crash of Air India flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, in Ahmedabad. The company stated: “We are aware of the initial reports and are working to gather more information.”
BOEING ON INDIA PLANE CRASH:
AWARE OF INITIAL REPORTS AND ARE WORKING TO GATHER MORE INFORMATION
— PiQ (@PiQSuite) June 12, 2025
The ill-fated flight, en route from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, crashed just moments after taking off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport (SVPIA) at 1:39 PM IST. According to aviation authorities, the aircraft issued a MAYDAY alert before losing communication. It crashed outside the airport perimeter, in the Meghani Nagar area.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) confirmed that the flight had 242 people on board, including 2 pilots and 10 cabin crew. The aircraft was under the command of Captain Sumeet Sabharwal (8,200 hours of experience) and First Officer Clive Kundar (1,100 hours of experience).
Eyewitness videos captured the aircraft engulfed in flames, with dense smoke rising from the wreckage. The crash triggered a massive fire, worsened by the plane’s full fuel load for the long-haul journey.
SVPIA operations have been suspended. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has directed Union ministers to oversee rescue and response efforts on-site.
