Local media reported that at least 133 people were killed in a tragic plane crash involving Air India in Ahmedabad, India, on June 12. The devastating accident has become one of the deadliest air disasters in recent years in the country.
The ill-fated flight took off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad, located approximately 17 kilometers south of Gandhinagar, the capital of the western Indian state of Gujarat. The aircraft departed at 1:39 PM local time from runway 23, heading toward an international destination.
Onboard the plane were a total of 230 passengers, including 169 Indian nationals, 53 British citizens, 1 Canadian, and 7 Portuguese passengers, according to preliminary passenger manifest information. The flight was expected to be routine, but just minutes after takeoff, the aircraft sent out a distress signal to air traffic control, suggesting serious technical difficulties.
Eyewitnesses on the ground described hearing a loud, unusual noise followed by a fireball in the sky. Emergency response teams were immediately dispatched to the crash site, but the scale of destruction made rescue efforts extremely challenging. Wreckage was scattered over a wide area, and authorities are still working to identify victims.
The cause of the crash is currently under investigation. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and Air India have both launched formal inquiries, while international aviation experts are expected to assist in analyzing black box data, once recovered.
This tragedy has prompted an outpouring of grief across India and abroad. The Prime Minister of India expressed condolences to the families of the victims and promised full transparency in the investigation process. Meanwhile, embassies from the UK, Portugal, and Canada have begun efforts to support their citizens’ families and coordinate with local authorities.
More updates are expected in the coming days as investigators work to determine what led to the fatal incident.