King Charles kept informed as London-bound flight disaster unfolds
Buckingham Palace has issued an update following a tragic plane crash in India involving a London-bound flight carrying 242 people, including 53 British nationals.
The Palace confirmed that King Charles is being kept actively informed as the situation continues to develop on the ground.
The Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on Thursday, June 12. The aircraft struck a doctor’s hostel in a nearby residential area, also injuring local residents.
The flight was en route to London Gatwick, carrying 169 Indian nationals, 53 from the UK, seven Portuguese nationals, one Canadian passenger, and a crew of 12. The captain, a veteran pilot, had logged over 8,000 flying hours.
According to Flight Radar data, the plane lost contact with air traffic control seconds after takeoff, reaching an altitude of only 625 feet before the mayday call ceased.
Emergency services arrived at the crash site within minutes. Local police confirmed that rescue operations remain ongoing, with firefighters and civic workers actively responding.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer called the incident “devastating,” while Foreign Secretary David Lammy said, “The UK is working with local authorities in India to urgently establish the facts and provide support.”
Flight operations at the airport are suspended as investigations proceed.
