An Air India aircraft carrying 242 passengers and crew tragically crashed in Ahmedabad while attempting to take off for a London-bound flight on Thursday, 12 June 2025. Among those on board was former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, who was reportedly travelling to London on the flight. 

This recent incident brings back memories of one of the deadliest air disasters in Ahmedabad’s history, which occurred nearly four decades ago.

Deadliest Ahmedabad Flight Crash In 1988

On 19 October 1988, Indian Airlines Flight 113 crashed during its final approach to Ahmedabad Airport, resulting in the deaths of 133 out of 135 passengers and crew aboard, as reported by Deccan Herald. The flight, operated by a Boeing 737-200 aircraft registered as VT-EAH, was travelling from Mumbai to Ahmedabad in December 1970.

The flight carried 129 passengers—including 124 adults and five children—and six crew members comprising the captain, co-pilot, and four cabin crew. It remains the deadliest accident in Indian Airlines’ history. 

Originally scheduled to depart Mumbai at 05:45 IST, flight 113 was delayed by 20 minutes due to a no-show passenger, finally taking off at 06:05. However, in the moments leading to the crash, the flight crew neither sought permission or clearance for landing nor provided standard call-outs after descending below 1,000 feet (300 metres).