By Chinelo Obogo
World leaders have mourned the death of passengers a London-bound Air India jetliner which crashed on Thursday shortly after takeoff in Ahmedabad, India, with over 240 people on board.
Television footage showed thick smoke rising from the crash site in Meghani Nagar, near Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, Ahmedabad.
Emergency crews rushed to douse the burning wreckage of the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, which would have been fueled for the flight. High-rise buildings close by were also sprayed as firefighters tried to contain the fire. Charred remains were visible at the scene.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer descrined the images as “devastating,” noting the flight carried multiple British nationals, while India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi in a social media post, described the tragedy as “heartbreaking beyond words,” and expressed solidarity with victims’ families.
President Bola Tinubu has extended his heartfelt condolences to Modi, the government, and the people of India following the crash.
The Nigerian leader, through his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, conveyed the President’s message on June 12, 2025, reaffirming the nation’s empathy during this difficult time. The President expressed sadness and offered prayers for the victims and their families.
Air India stated the Gatwick-bound flight had 242 passengers and crew, including 169 Indians, 53 Britons, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian. However, Faiz Ahmed Kidwai, India’s civil aviation chief, reported 244 people were onboard.
The aircraft, operating as Flight AI 171, went down just five minutes after takeoff at 1:38 p.m. local time. India’s Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Kinjarapu confirmed emergency teams were mobilizing medical and relief efforts. The 787 Dreamliner is a widebody, twin-engine plane. This is the first-ever crash of a Boeing 787 since it debuted in 2009 debut. Boeing said it was gathering details on the incident, while Air India Chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran pledged full support for victims’ families.
