Online Reporter
Wallace Ruzvidzo
ZIMBABWE stands in solidarity with India following the tragic crash of an Air India flight on Thursday, President Mnangagwa has said. The crash claimed the lives of all but one of the 242 people on board.
In a message of condolence, the President expressed Zimbabwe’s heartfelt sympathies to the people of India and the bereaved families during this difficult time. Zimbabwe and India have long enjoyed cordial bilateral relations.
“I extend my deepest sympathies to the Government and people of the Republic of India following the tragic plane crash of Flight 171. Zimbabwe stands in solidarity with the Indian nation during this time of mourning. Our thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved families, and we wish a swift and full recovery to the injured,” President Mnangagwa wrote on his official X handle yesterday.
The Boeing aircraft, en route to Gatwick Airport in London, was carrying 242 passengers and crew when it crashed into a residential area, striking a medical college hostel near the airport during lunchtime. The passengers included 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese nationals, and one Canadian. The sole survivor is a British national of Indian origin.
Air India confirmed the fatalities in a statement: “Air India confirms that flight AI171, operating from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick on June 12, 2025, was involved in an accident. The 12-year-old Boeing 787-8 aircraft departed from Ahmedabad at 13:38 hours, carrying 230 passengers and 12 crew. The aircraft crashed shortly after take-off. We regret to inform that, of the 242 aboard, there are 241 confirmed fatalities. The sole survivor is being treated in hospital.”
The airline said that a team of caregivers had been dispatched to provide support and extended its condolences to the affected families.
“Air India offers its deepest condolences to the families of the deceased. Our efforts now are focused entirely on the needs of all those affected, their families and loved ones. A team of caregivers from Air India is now in Ahmedabad to provide additional support. Air India is giving its full co-operation to the authorities investigating this incident,” the statement read.
Footage from the crash site showed smoke billowing from the wreckage, with debris scattered around the building.
The tail of the aircraft was seen lodged atop the structure.
According to air traffic control at Ahmedabad Airport, the aircraft issued a mayday call before contact was lost.
Aviation-tracking site Flightradar24 identified the aircraft as a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, a modern wide-body, twin-engine jet known for its strong safety record. According to the Aviation Safety Network, this marks the first recorded crash of a Boeing 787.
The last fatal air crash in India occurred in 2020, involving an Air India Express flight that overshot the runway at Kozhikode International Airport, killing 21 people.
Londile Moyo