On Thursday, June 12, 2025, an Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed shortly after taking off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad, India. Air India confirmed that Flight AI171, operating from Ahmedabad to London and carrying 242 people — including 2 pilots and 10 cabin crew members, 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, 7 Portuguese nationals, and 1 Canadian — crashed into a hospital complex and a medical student dormitory near the airport area.
Chronology of the Air India AI171 Crash
According to data from Flightradar24, the sequence of events is as follows:
At 1:30 PM local time, the aircraft was still on the ground. Two minutes later, its speed increased to 18.5 km/h. Then, at 1:38 PM local time, the plane climbed to an altitude of 190 meters before losing signal. Just before the crash, the plane sent out a “Mayday” distress signal at an altitude of 625 feet, but then stopped responding.
Were There Any Survivors?
Out of 242 passengers, 241 were reported dead. The sole survivor was a British citizen named Vishwashkumar Ramesh, who was found still seated in seat 11A when the plane crashed shortly after takeoff. The crash not only claimed the lives of the passengers but also killed several people in the nearby hospital complex and medical student dormitory.
Cause of the Crash Still Under Investigation
The exact cause of the Air India Boeing 787 crash is still unknown, but an investigation will be conducted to determine the reasons behind the incident. This is the first time a Boeing 787 has crashed under such circumstances. The crash of the Air India Boeing 787 in Ahmedabad is a significant setback for Boeing, which has been struggling to address various issues, including fatal accidents involving its 737 program.
The Air India plane crash is one of the deadliest aviation tragedies in India in the past decade.
A thorough investigation into the crash of Air India Flight AI171 is highly anticipated to help improve global aviation safety standards.