Ahmedabad plane crash: Air India CEO Campbell Wilson visits crash site; Tata to give Rs 1 crore compensation to kin
NEW DELHI: Air India chief executive officer and managing director Campbell Wilson visited the crash site of flight AI-171 in Ahmedabad on Friday. The airline had earlier confirmed that all 241 people on board the Boeing 787-8 aircraft, including 12 crew members, died in the tragic accident.“The 12-year-old Boeing 787-8 aircraft departed from Ahmedabad at 1338 Hours, carrying 230 passengers and 12 crew. The aircraft crashed shortly after take-off. We regret to inform you that, of the 242 aboard, there are 241 confirmed fatalities. The sole survivor is being treated in a hospital,” Air India posted on X.Miraculously, one person survived the crash, according to airline officials. The sole survivor is identified as a British national of Indian origin.The June 12, 2025 flight from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick had 169 Indian passengers, 53 British, 7 Portuguese, and 1 Canadian on board. The aircraft crashed into a resident doctors’ hostel building near Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad shortly after departure on Thursday.Air Traffic Control (ATC) records show that the aircraft took off from Ahmedabad at 1:39 PM IST (0809 UTC) from Runway 23. The pilots issued a Mayday call shortly after takeoff, but communication was lost soon after.Earlier, on Thursday, Wilson addressed the situation through video, confirming the airline’s cooperation with emergency response officials.“First and most importantly, I would like to express our deep sorrow about this event. This is a difficult day for all of us here in India. And it’s now focused entirely on the needs of our passengers, crew members, their families, and loved ones,” Wilson said.“We know that many people are concerned for the welfare of their loved ones. We have set up a special helpline that friends and family can reach us at,” he added, mentioning ongoing support for affected individuals and investigators.Union civil aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu confirmed that the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has launched a formal probe into the Air India flight 171 crash that killed 241 people.The flight crew consisted of Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, a Line Training Captain with 8,200 flying hours, and First Officer Clive Kundar, who had accumulated 1,100 flying hours.The Tata Group has announced a compensation of Rs 1 crore for the family of each victim who died in the crash.
