Air India plane crash death toll rises to 270

Doctors in India say 270 bodies have been recovered from the site of Thursday's plane crash in Ahmedabad, BBC reported.

The London-bound aircraft crashed into a residential area shortly after take-off killing all but one of the 242 passengers and crew members, a 40-year-old British man.

Officials have also been trying to establish how many people were killed on the ground and have been continuing the slow process of matching DNA samples to confirm the victims' identities. 

Vigils honouring the dead have taken place across India and the UK, according to BBC.

 

India gifts 40 ambulances to various health institutions across Nepal

The Government of India on Saturday gifted 40 ambulances to health institutions in various districts of Nepal. 

The vehicle handover ceremonies were held simultaneously at four locations including the Embassy of India in Kathmandu, the Consulate General of India in Birgunj and the Pension Paying Offices of the Embassy of India in Pokhara and Dharan.

A total of 40 ambulances were gifted today covering 33 districts across all the seven provinces of Nepal, reads a statement issued by the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu. 

Out of these, 22 ambulances were handed over in Kathmandu, seven in Birgunj, seven in Pokhara and four in Dharan by representatives of the Government of India. 

Prasanna Shrivastava, Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of India, Kathmandu handed over the keys of the vehicles at the ceremony held in Kathmandu.

Mayors and Chairpersons of Municipalities and Rural Municipalities of various districts of Bagmati, Karnali, Lumbini and Sudurpaschim Provinces as well as representatives of various beneficiary organizations, political representatives, and social workers were present on the occasion. 

During the event, the Deputy Chief of Mission highlighted that gifting of ambulances has been one of the long-standing initiatives of the Government of India under the Nepal-India Development Partnership to bolster the efforts of the Government of Nepal to strengthen its infrastructure in the health sector, according to the statement.

He added that this initiative is a part of the larger robust and vibrant development partnership between India and Nepal which has expanded, deepened and diversified over the last seven decades. 

During their interactions with the Deputy Chief of Mission at the event, the beneficiaries expressed their gratitude for India’s support towards various ongoing developmental projects in their districts and Nepal, expressing confidence that the newly gifted ambulances will help enhance accessibility to health services in their respective regions. 

The Government of India has been presenting ambulances for more than three decades to various beneficiary organizations in different parts of Nepal, giving high priority to Nepal's health sector.

 

India orders inspection of Boeing 787s after Air India crash

India's aviation regulator has ordered all Boeing 787s being operated by local carriers to be inspected after an Air India crash killed 270 people this week, the aviation minister said on Saturday, adding the authorities were investigating all possible causes, Reuters reported.

The aviation regulator had on Friday ordered Air India to conduct additional maintenance checks on its Boeing 787-8/9 aircraft equipped with GEnx engines, including assessments of certain take-off parameters, electronic engine control tests and engine fuel-related checks.

"We have also given the order to do the extended surveillance of the 787 planes. There are 34 in our Indian fleet," aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu told reporters in New Delhi.

"Eight have already been inspected and with immediate urgency, all of them are going to be done."

He did not say whether government officials will be involved in the inspections, according to Reuters.

Modi visits crash site, meets sole survivor and reviews relief efforts

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the site of the tragic Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad and met with injured victims at the Civil Hospital on Friday.

The London-bound flight crashed into a residential area shortly after take-off on Thursday, killing 241 of the 242 people on board. The sole survivor, British national Vishwashkumar Ramesh, is recovering in hospital. The number of casualties on the ground remains unknown, according to Firstpost.

The aircraft was carrying 169 Indian nationals, 53 Britons, seven Portuguese nationals, and one Canadian, according to Air India.

Families of the victims have begun providing DNA samples to aid in the identification process.

PM Modi chaired a high-level meeting in Ahmedabad with ministers and senior officials to oversee rescue operations, victim identification, and support measures for affected families, according to Firstpost.

Describing the tragedy as “beyond words,” Modi expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives and offered condolences to the bereaved families.

India launches probe into Air India Flight AI171 crash

India has initiated an official investigation into the crash of Air India Flight AI171 in Ahmedabad, which claimed 241 lives. The UK-bound Boeing 787 Dreamliner, carrying 230 passengers and 12 crew members, crashed shortly after takeoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on Thursday, striking a building before catching fire. One person survived.

Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu confirmed that the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) will lead the probe, adhering to international protocols set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), Firstpost reported.

Additionally, the government has formed a high-level committee of experts to assess the incident and recommend measures to enhance aviation safety.

UK responds to Air India flight AI171 crash

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced Thursday that a team has been sent to India following the crash of Air India flight AI171. In a statement on social media, he described the incident as “absolutely devastating” and confirmed that Foreign Secretary David Lammy is leading the UK’s response.

Starmer stated that the UK is working closely with Indian authorities to investigate the cause and would provide timely updates. He is scheduled to chair a COBR emergency meeting later in the day, which is held by the Cabinet Office to coordinate government response during major crises, according to Xinhua.

Only one out of the 242 individuals on board survived.

 

Air India confirms 241 of 242 on board dead

An Air India flight from Ahmedabad to London, carrying 242 passengers and crew, crashed shortly after takeoff on Thursday (June 12, 2025) afternoon. Barring one miracle survivor, no one else could be rescued. Former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani was among those killed in the crash.

The Boeing 787-8 aircraft took off at 1:38 p.m. Five minutes later, the aircraft plummeted into the B.J. Medical College hostel mess 5km from the airport, as over 100 students were gathered for lunch. A towering plume of smoke was visible from afar after a massive explosion, The Hindu reported.

Government sources said the pilots gave a ‘Mayday’ call immediately after takeoff, signalling a life-threatening emergency. The aircraft was steered by Pilot in Command Sumit Sabharwal, and co-Pilot Clive Kunder.

After meeting the sole survivor of the crash in hospital, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said none of the other passengers could be saved. “Due to the huge amount of fuel at 1.25 lakh litre and high temperature from the explosion, no one could be rescued,” he said. The Press Trust of India identified the survivor as Vishwaskumar Ramesh, who was travelling in the A11 seat of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft, heading to London with his brother, according to The Hindu.

Vijay Rupani, former Gujarat Chief Minister, dies in Air India plane crash

Former Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani, who served between 2016 and 2021, was among the passengers on the ill-fated London-bound Dreamliner that went down minutes after take-off from Ahmedabad, India Today reported.

Rupani's demise marks the second time a former Gujarat CM has died in a plane crash, six decades after Balwantrai Mehta's fatal air accident in 1965.

 

Trump condoles Air India crash in Ahmedabad, offers US assistance

US President Donald Trump on Thursday communicated profound distress over the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad, depicting it as “one of the most noticeably awful in flying history.” He offered condolences to the casualties and their families, calling the occurrence a awful misfortune.

Trump guaranteed that the Joined together States is prepared to help India in any way conceivable. “We’ll be over there quickly on the off chance that needed,” he said, emphasizing America’s readiness to back alleviation and recuperation endeavors, according to Firstpost.

Commenting on the scale of the catastrophe, Trump stated, “It looks like most are gone.” In spite of the gravity of the circumstance, he communicated certainty in India’s capacity to handle the emergency, alluding to it as a “strong country.”

Air India London-bound flight crashes in Ahmedabad, over 200 dead

At least 204 people were killed and 41 were injured after a London-bound Air India flight carrying 242 people crashedminutes after taking off from Ahmedabad in the world's worst aviation disaster in a decade. Flight AI171 came down on a government hospital hostel on the outskirts of the airport, leaving a field of debris and scenes of devastation, India Today reported.

Ahmedabad Police Commissioner GS Malik confirmed that 204 people had been killed in the Air India flight crash and indicated that the condition of those injured was extremely critical. Three medical students were killed in the crash, Dr Mehul Shah, chief of Gujarat chapter of the Indian Medical Association, said. He added that several medical students were injured and admitted to the hospital.

The Air India flight had taken off from Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at 1.39 pm and crashed just five minutes later. It was bound for London's Gatwick airport. A video of the plane, taken just as it had taken off, showed it struggling to remain airborne and gradually losing altitude before it crashed into the ground, igniting into a fireball, according to India Today.

Foreign Minister Deuba calls for a deeper Nepal-India ties

Arzu Rana Deuba, Minister for Foreign Affairs, has called for deeper India–Nepal cooperation amid global challenges such as climate change, geopolitical shifts, and rapid technological transformation. Emphasizing economic partnership, green energy, digital innovation, and regional integration, she stated, “Nepal and India must transform proximity into prosperity by improving connectivity, from roads and railways to digital infrastructure.”

Speaking at a program jointly organized by Centre for Social Innovation and Foreign Policy (CESIF), Nepal, and the Ananta Aspen Centre here in Kathmandu, she highlighted progress on the Pancheshwar Hydropower Project as a step toward the joint goal of exporting 10,000 MW of electricity to India, noting shared commitment to a greener, more interdependent future.  Deuba also stressed that Nepal and India face common security threats, making collaboration in security and strategic sectors vital for regional stability and mutual resilience, according to a press statement issued by the organizer.

Indian Ambassador to Nepal Naveen Srivastava has reaffirmed India’s commitment to strengthening the India–Nepal partnership under the “Neighborhood First” policy, emphasizing that borders should serve as bridges of connectivity. The envoy highlighted growing cooperation across infrastructure, energy, trade, digital payments, and people-to-people linkages, citing Nepal’s significant electricity exports to India and the growing use of India’s UPI system in Nepal as examples of mutually beneficial progress.

He underscored shared security concerns, particularly the threat of cross-border terrorism, and appreciated Nepal’s unequivocal support following the April 2025 Pahalgam attack, which claimed the life of a Nepali citizen, according to a press statement issued by organizer.

120 feared dead after horrific Air India crash

At least 120 people are feared dead after an Air India flight carrying 242 passengers crashed near Ahmedabad Airport, Hindustan Times reported.

The plane, en-route to London, crashed in a residential area, five minutes after taking off from the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Airport in Gujarat.

 

Ex-Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani on Air India flight that crashed in Ahmedabad

Former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani was on the Air India flight that crashed near the Ahmedabad airport on Thursday, India Today reported.

The Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft bound for London crashed after five minutes of taking-off near Ahmedabad airport this afternoon.

According to the passenger list document accessed by India Today Digital, "Vijay Ramniklal Rupani" was the 12th passenger on the list. He was booked in Z class, which falls under the Business Class category, accoding to India Today.

 

UK-bound Air India plane with 242 passengers crashes near Ahmedabad airport

An Air India flight to London crashed shortly after take-off at the Ahmedabad airport on Thursday afternoon, India Today reported.

The flight, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, carried 242 passengers. Visuals from the area showed thick black smoke in the air as more details about the accident were awaited.

Emergency services rushed to the spot following the crash, including seven fire engines, according to India Today.

Canada's new citizenship framework to benefit Indian diaspora, proposed law removes first-gen limit

The Canadian government has introduced Bill C-3 to address citizenship issues related to the 2009 “First-Generation Limit” (FGL), which previously denied or revoked citizenship for many born abroad or with foreign-born children. The bill proposes automatic reinstatement of citizenship for those affected and allows Canadian parents born outside Canada to pass citizenship to children born or adopted abroad, provided the parent has lived in Canada for at least three years before the child’s birth, according to Firstpost.

This act is intended to benefit thousands of immigrant groups, particularly those of Indian origin. It is currently under parliamentary review and must pass all readings and gain royal assent before becoming law. The Ontario Superior Court has also ordered the government to change the current guidelines by November 20, warning that failing to do so may result in the FGL provisions being overturned or curtailed.

Meanwhile, the Trump administration has tightened immigration regulations, including issuing an executive order to abolish birthright citizenship for children born in the United States to parents on temporary visas, complicating immigration for many people, including Indian nationals, Firstpost reported.

 

Carney invites Modi to G7 summit despite strained ties between Canada and India

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the G7 Summit in Kananaskis, Canada, later this month at the invitation of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.

This marks the first meeting between the two leaders and comes amid efforts to ease tensions following the 2023 killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, which had strained India-Canada relations, according to Firstpost.

Carney defended the invitation, stressing India's global economic importance, and stated that legal procedures in Canada will continue uninterrupted.