Air India sets up assistance centres for families of passengers on Flight AI171

NEW DELHI: Air India has set up Friends & Relatives Assistance Centres at Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Delhi and Gatwick airports to provide support and care for the needs of the families and loved ones of passengers on flight AI171.

A total of 241 people onboard the Boeing 787-8, Air India flight 171, including 12 crew members, have died in the deadly Ahmedabad plane crash, Air India confirmed post-midnight on Friday.

In a post on X on Friday, Air India informed that these centres facilitate the travel of family members to Ahmedabad and offer necessary assistance during this time. Furthermore, Air India has set up a dedicated passenger hotline number:
For calls within India: 1800 5691 444
For calls outside India: +91 8062779200

Regular updates will be shared on Air India’s X handle and the official site as further information becomes available.
Additionally, Air India requests that media personnel avoid calling the dedicated passenger hotline number.

Air India has set up Friends & Relatives Assistance Centres at Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Delhi and Gatwick airports to provide support and take care of the needs of the families and loved ones of those on flight AI171. These centres are facilitating the travel of family members to… pic.twitter.com/jTjD7Whzex

— ANI (@ANI) June 13, 2025

Earlier, Air India Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director Campbell Wilson visited the AI-171 plane crash site in Gujarat’s Ahmedabad on Friday.

“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.

The flight, which was operating from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick on June 12, 2025, carried 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese nationals, and one Canadian national. The passenger plane crashed near Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Gujarat’s Ahmedabad into a resident doctors’ hostel building shortly after take-off on Thursday.

Miraculously, one person has survived the deadly crash, the airline authorities said, adding that the survivor was a British national of Indian origin. A formal investigation has been launched by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) into the deadly crash of Air India flight 171 that killed 241 people onboard, Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu confirmed on Thursday.

The aircraft was piloted by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, a Line Training Captain with 8,200 hours of flying experience, assisted by First Officer Clive Kundar, who had logged 1,100 flying hours.

According to Air Traffic Control (ATC), the aircraft departed from Ahmedabad at 1339 IST (0809 UTC) from runway 23. It made a Mayday call to ATC, but thereafter, the aircraft did not respond to the calls made by ATC. Immediately after departing Runway 23, the aircraft fell on the ground outside the airport perimeter. An official said heavy black smoke was coming from the accident site.

The Tata Group has announced a compensation of Rs 1 crore for the families of each person who lost their lives in the crash. (ANI)