Air India Crash Live: Pilot's chilling mayday call before deadly Ahmedabad crash

Keir Starmer has described the Air India disaster as ‘absolutely devastating’ as he detailed British help with crash investigations.

Speaking from Downing Street,the PM said: ‘I speak for the entire country in saying our thoughts are with each and every one of those involved.’

He said the Foreign Secretary David Lammy is leading on the British response,and said an investigation team has been dispatched to India to establish the facts.

June 12,2025 6:46 pm

‘We are profoundly heartbroken’ – tributes to British family killed in Air India crash

Luke Alsford

The friends and family of a British family killed on board flight AI171 say they are ‘profoundly heartbroken’ are the ‘catastrophic crash’.

Husband and wife Akeel Nanabawa and Hannaa Vorajee,from Gloucester,were on the Air India flight with their ‘beloved’ daughter Sara.

Their family members confirmed to the BBC that they were on the plane which left Ahmedabad for Gatwick.

Gloucestershire Muslim Bereavement Council (GMBC) said in a statement they extend their ‘most sincere and deepest condolences to the Nanabawa family upon receiving the tragic news’.

Debris lies at the crash site after an Air India aircraft (Picture: REUTERS)

They added: ‘During this moment of overwhelming sorrow,our hearts go out to all those left behind.

‘No words can truly ease the pain of such a profound loss,but we pray that the family may find solace in the tremendous outpouring of compassion and solidarity from communities across the world.

‘May their cherished memories provide comfort,and may they rest in eternal peace.’

June 12,2025 6:02 pm

Black box of AI171 has been recovered from crash site

Luke Alsford

A man stands at the site of a plane crash near Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad (Picture: EPA)

The black box of the crashed Air India flight has been recovered and is being transported for investigation.

A black box records flight data and cockpit audio,so is crucial for investigators to understand what causes a flight to go wrong.

The Airports Authority of India has recovered AI171’s black box,according to news channel Republic World and other local news sites.

June 12,2025 5:47 pm

Trump says US will do ‘anything we can do’ to help

Luke Alsford

US President Donald Trump offered aid to India after the ‘horrific’  Ahmedabad crash,which he called ‘one of the worst in aviation history’.

Speaking at a press conference Thursday afternoon,Trump said: ‘I let them know anything we can do,we’ll be over there immediately.

‘It was a horrific crash,it looks like most are gone.

‘Nobody has any idea what it might be. I gave them a couple pointerss. I said “maybe you will look at this”.

‘It looked like the plane was flying well.’

🚨President Trump speaks on the Air India plane crash this morning: "The plane crash was terrible. I've already told them,anything we can do. We will be over there immediately." pic.twitter.com/wurBnysvQa

— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) June 12,2025

June 12,2025 5:34 pm

Tributes to pilots and cabin crew of doomed Air India flight

Luke Alsford

First Officer Clive Kunder

Information is coming in about the pilots and air stewards on AI171.

The plane’s co-pilot Clive Kunder has been described as a promising pilot,with 1,100 of flying hours,whose career was tragically cut short.

He is the uncle of Indian actor Vikrant Massey. He said his ‘heart breaks’ over the crash in a post on Instagram.

The flight’s Captain has been named as Sumeet Sabharwal. He had over 8,200 hours of experience.

A number of the cabin crew have also been identified.

Nganthoi Sharma Kongbrailatpam and Lamnunthem Singson,as well as senior members Shradha Dhavan and Aparna Mahadik were also named among the crew.

Kongbrailatpam’s family were tears as they looked through a photo album with pictures of her inside.

Saineeta Chakravarti,Deepak Pathak,Maithili Patil,Irfan Shaikh,Roshni Songhare Rajendra,and Manisha Thapa were all working on the plane when it came down after take off.

Air Hostess Nganthoi Sharma was on board AI171(Picture: Northeast Live)

June 12,2025 5:15 pm

Boeing ‘ready to support’ Air India

Josh Milton

Boeing has issued a statement after one of its Dreamliner planes went down moments after takeoff.

The company said: ‘We are in contact with Air India regarding Flight 171 and stand ready to support them. Our thoughts are with the passengers,crew,first responders and all affected.’

We are in contact with Air India regarding Flight 171 and stand ready to support them. Our thoughts are with the passengers,first responders and all affected. pic.twitter.com/kYrdKyvl7z

— Boeing Airplanes (@BoeingAirplanes) June 12,2025 4:51 pm

Top state politician among the victims

Josh Milton

Gujrat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani at a party conference in 2019 (Picture: Vishal Bhatnagar/NurPhoto)

Vijay Rupani,Gujarat’s former chief minister known for his calm yet decisive leadership style,has been named as one of the Air India plane crash victims.

The death of Rupani,a senior member of India’s governing party,BJP,was confirmed on X by the party’s spokesperson,Sambit Patra.

‘His departure is an irreparable loss not only for Gujarat but for the entire Indian politics,’ Patra added.

अहमदाबाद में हुए दुर्भाग्यपूर्ण विमान हादसे में गुजरात के पूर्व मुख्यमंत्री एवं भाजपा परिवार के वरिष्ठ सदस्य विजय रूपाणी जी के दुखद निधन का समाचार अत्यंत पीड़ादायक और मन को झकझोर देने वाला है। उनका जाना न केवल गुजरात,बल्कि सम्पूर्ण भारतीय राजनीति के लिए एक अपूरणीय क्षति है।… pic.twitter.com/6ecgzpDekE

— Sambit Patra (@sambitswaraj) June 12,2025