Air India Plane Crash: Union Home Minister Amit Shah provided crucial insights into the tragic Air India flight AI171 crash near Ahmedabad, which claimed over 200 lives.

Air India Plane Crash: Union Home Minister Amit Shah with Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel at the Air India plane crash site to take stock of the situation, in Ahmedabad on Thursday.(ANI)

Air India Plane Crash: Union Home Minister Amit Shah provided crucial insights into the tragic Air India flight AI171 crash near Ahmedabad, which claimed over 200 lives. Speaking from the crash site, Shah explained the grim reality that despite immediate rescue efforts, no passengers could be saved due to the massive fuel load and intense heat following the crash.

Air India Plane Crash: Immediate Response

“This afternoon, Air India flight AI-171 crashed and many passengers are feared dead. The entire nation is grieving and is standing together with the bereaved families,” Amit Shah said, highlighting the swift response from the central government.

“The central government received information within 10 minutes of the accident. I contacted the Gujarat Chief Minister, Home Minister and the Civil Aviation Minister. The PM also called within no time. All the central and state government departments are carrying out the rescue operation.”

Amit Shah emphasised the scale of the rescue operation, adding, “Every department is carrying out the rescue operations in coordination.” The flight had 230 passengers and 12 crew members onboard at the time of the crash.

Air India Plane Crash: Why No Survivors Could Be Saved?

Addressing the question of why there were no survivors, Amit Shah revealed a critical factor: “The plane carried almost 1,25,000 litres of fuel, and due to the high temperature, there was no chance of saving anyone.” This explains the severity of the post-crash fire, which made rescue efforts extremely difficult and tragic.

According to Ahmedabad police commissioner, a total of 204 had been recovered. However, the death toll is expected to rise as several people opn ground were also injured or had died. The Air India plane crash witnessed one miracle survivor who was seated on 11A.

Air India Plane Crash: Recovery and DNA Testing Efforts

BJP leader Amit Shah confirmed that the retrieval of bodies was nearly complete. “I visited the crash site. The retrieval of the dead bodies is almost complete. DNA samples of the family members are being collected. The family members in foreign countries are also informed. Around 1000 DNA tests will be done,” he said.

“The DNA samples of the dead bodies have also been collected. The bodies will be handed over after the DNA tests.” Amit Shah further detailed the scale of the identification process: “I have visited the crash site. The bodies of the passengers have nearly been recovered from the crash site. Besides, the DNA samples of the kin of passengers are being collected and this process will get completed in next 2-3 hours. The family members of the foreigners have also been reached out. Once they arrive (in India), their DNA samples will also be collected. Nearly 1,000 DNA samples are going to be collected in Gujarat only. The state has the capacity to conduct all these tests.”

Air India Plane Crash: Death Toll and Survivor Update

While the exact death toll is still being finalised pending DNA verification, Amit Shah offered a glimmer of hope: “There is some good news for one survivor. I met the one survivor.”

Air India Plane Crash

The Air India flight AI171, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad airport on June 12, 2025, en route to London Gatwick. The tragedy has shocked the nation and the global aviation community. Rescue operations and investigations are ongoing, with authorities working tirelessly to support victims’ families and uncover the cause of this catastrophic accident.