Air India Plane Crash: Former Chief Minister Vijay Rupani is confirmed to be among the passengers aboard Air India flight AI 171, Hindustan reports. The flight, operated by a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, tragically crashed into a residential area in Meghani Nagar shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad at 1:38 PM on June 12, 2025.
According to some unconfirmed reports, ex-Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani was passenger number 12 on the Air India flight.
The crash occurred approximately five minutes after departure. The aircraft was under the command of Captain Sumit Sabharwal, with Clive Kunder serving as co-pilot. On board were 232 passengers, including 230 adults and 2 infants, along with 12 crew members, totaling 242 people.
Emergency teams at Ahmedabad airport were immediately activated, and thick smoke from the crash site was visible from a considerable distance. The DAW, ADAW, and one FOI, who were already in Ahmedabad for other assignments, have begun gathering detailed information about the incident as rescue and relief efforts continue.
Who is Vijay Rupani?
Vijay Rupani is an Indian politician who served as the 16th Chief Minister of Gujarat from August 2016 to September 2021.
Born on August 2, 1956, in Rangoon (now Yangon, Myanmar), he has been a prominent leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Rupani’s political career spans several decades, during which he held various key positions including Mayor of Rajkot (1996–1997), Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha (2006–2012), and Gujarat state cabinet minister overseeing portfolios such as transport, labour, and water supply.
Assembly and was also the president of the Gujarat BJP before becoming Chief Minister.
Ahmedabad Airport Operations Suspended
Ahmedabad airport operations have been suspended due to a Air India plane crash involving, which occurred on June 12, 2025, shortly after takeoff.
“As a result of Air India plane crash incident, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport (SVPIA), Ahmedabad, is currently not operational. All flight operations are temporarily suspended until further notice”, said SVPIA Spokesperson
According to Fire officer Jayesh Khadia, the plane caught fire after crashing and fire tenders were rushed to the spot to douse the blaze.
