An Air India flight bound for London’s Gatwick Airport crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad, India, on June 12, killing at least 30 people. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, carrying 242 passengers and crew, went down near the airport in a civilian area, reportedly striking a hostel housing doctors.
Rescue efforts are ongoing, with thick smoke seen rising from the crash site. Most passengers were Indian nationals, with others from the UK, Portugal, and Canada. No Americans were on board.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and British leaders expressed condolences. The crash marks the first total loss of a Boeing 787 since the aircraft’s introduction in 2011. The flight was piloted by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, with over 8,000 flight hours. Authorities are investigating the cause.
