AHMEDABAD, India (Diya TV) — President Donald Trump has expressed deep condolences and offered full U.S. support following the deadly crash of Air India Flight AI171 in Ahmedabad. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, en route to London, crashed just five minutes after takeoff, killing at least 290 people in one of the worst aviation disasters in over a decade.
Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump called the crash a “horrible tragedy” and assured that the United States stands ready to assist Indian authorities in any way possible.
“It’s a big country, a strong country. They’ll handle it, I’m sure,” Trump said. “I let them know — anything we can do, we’ll be over there immediately.”
He emphasized that the U.S. is prepared to offer technical support, investigative expertise, and humanitarian assistance.
Flight AI171 took off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad on a scheduled international route to London. Within five minutes, the aircraft crashed into a government-run hospital hostel located just beyond the airport perimeter. The impact sparked a massive fire and led to widespread destruction.
Rescue teams rushed to the scene, working through debris to locate survivors. Officials say there were 242 people on board, including passengers and crew. There was at least one survivor. Roughly 50 people were killed in the area where the plane crashed.
The aircraft was a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, one of the newest models in Air India’s fleet. Eyewitnesses said the plane appeared stable before a sudden loss of altitude. The flight data and cockpit voice recorders have been recovered and sent for analysis.
Trump also commented on the crash, adding that from what he had seen, “the plane looked like it was flying pretty well.” He added, “It didn’t look like there could be an explosion. It just looked like maybe the engines lost power.”
Indian aviation authorities, along with representatives from Boeing and the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), are now investigating the crash. Officials caution that it is too early to determine the exact cause.
Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said that weather conditions were normal at the time of takeoff and that the aircraft had cleared all safety checks. “We are working closely with international experts to determine what led to this terrible tragedy,” he said in a statement.
World leaders have extended their condolences to India. President Trump’s message was among the first official statements from the international community.
Next, investigators will review flight data recorder and cockpit voice data, maintenance records of the aircraft, air traffic control communications and eyewitness video and audio evidence.
Boeing has also released a statement expressing sympathy to the victims’ families and said it will assist Indian authorities with the investigation.
This crash marks the deadliest aviation disaster in India in decades and the most fatal globally since 2014, when Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was shot down over Ukraine.
India has declared a day of national mourning. Flags will fly at half-staff, and memorial services are planned across major cities.
