A tragic Air India plane crash occurred in Ahmedabad on Thursday, June 12, 2025, leading to an outpouring of grief and condolences from across the nation, including numerous Bollywood and South Indian celebrities.
Details of the Tragedy:
Flight: Air India flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, was bound for London’s Gatwick Airport from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport.
Casualties: The flight carried 242 people (230 passengers and 12 crew members). Air India confirmed that 241 people were killed, with only one miraculous survivor. Reports from police and local authorities suggest that more people on the ground also lost their lives as the plane crashed into residential quarters of BJ Medical College doctors in the Meghaninagar area. Among the deceased was former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani.
Incident: The aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff, with the pilot issuing a ‘Mayday’ distress call moments before losing contact. Investigations are underway, and the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is probing the cause. A Digital Video Recorder (DVR) has been recovered from the crash site.
Compensation: The Tata Group has announced a compensation of ₹1 crore for the families of each person who lost their lives in the crash.
Celebrity Reactions and Condolences:
The entertainment industry collectively mourned the devastating loss of life. Many prominent personalities took to social media to express their shock, grief, and offer prayers for the victims and their families.
Priyanka Chopra Jonas: Sent prayers to the affected families, stating, “So so sad. Praying for everyone affected, and the families facing unimaginable loss in the Air India tragedy.”
Akshay Kumar, Karan Johar, and Vicky Kaushal: Along with other prominent actors like Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Alia Bhatt, Allu Arjun, Riteish Deshmukh, Randeep Hooda, Janhvi Kapoor, Aamir Khan, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Kajol, Kartik Aaryan, Diljit Dosanjh, Swara Bhasker, Dia Mirza, Sunny Deol, Ananya Panday, Parineeti Chopra, R Madhavan, and Sonu Sood, they all expressed profound sorrow and condolences on their social media platforms.
Salman Khan: Cancelled an event for the Indian Supercross Racing League out of respect for the victims.
Vikrant Massey: Shared a heartfelt note, revealing that the first officer on the flight, Clive Kundar, was a son of a family friend, expressing how it “pains even more to know” of his loss. He later clarified that Clive was not a direct cousin but a close family acquaintance.
Farhan Akhtar: Said he was “heartbroken” and offered deepest condolences.
Pratik Gandhi: Expressed being “deeply saddened and numb” by the tragic incident.
South Indian Celebrities: Actors like Kamal Haasan, Ravi Mohan, Vishnu Vishal, Simran, Keerthy Suresh, Khushbu Sundar, director Venkat Prabhu, and actors Soori and Aathmika also conveyed their grief. The pre-release event for Dhanush’s film “Kuberaa” was also postponed as a mark of respect.
The entire nation has been left in shock and mourning by this horrific accident.
