On June 12, 2025, an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner (flight AI-171) crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad in India’s Gujarat state. The London–Gatwick bound flight, with 242 people on board (230 passengers, 12 crew), plummeted into a residential area just beyond the airport. Surveillance video and radar data show the jet lifting off at 1:38 PM IST and issuing an emergency “Mayday” distress call at about 1:39 PM, then failing to gain altitude. It descended into a hostel building at the B.J. Medical College complex near the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, erupting in flames. Officials called this one of India’s worst aviation disasters in decades.
- Flight details: AI-171 departed Ahmedabad at 13:38 local time. CCTV footage shows the plane at a perilously low height (~625 feet) for roughly 30 seconds before it suddenly descended into the ground. Air Traffic Control recorded the mayday call and then radio silence. The aircraft (a 12-year-old Boeing 787-8) was the first Dreamliner ever to crash fatally.
- Passengers and crew: Of the 242 on board, authorities confirmed 241 fatalities. Air India later reported the passenger nationalities as 169 Indians, 53 Britons, 7 Portuguese, and 1 Canadian. A former Gujarat chief minister, Vijay Rupani, was among those killed.
- Ground casualties: Parts of the plane struck a student cafeteria at the medical college. At least five MBBS students, one resident doctor, and the wife of a doctor died in the collapse, and over 60 people were injured. Dozens of bodies were recovered from the wreckage; a local hospital received 186 bodies from the site.
- Sole survivor: Miraculously, one passenger survived. Police identified him as Vishwashkumar Ramesh, a 37-year-old British national of Indian origin, who was seated in 11A. He was found alive amid the wreckage and taken to hospital. Doctors said he was “disoriented with multiple injuries,” but out of immediate danger.
Key Facts at a Glance:
- Flight: Air India AI-171, Boeing 787-8 (Ahmedabad → London/Gatwick). Departed 13:38 IST on June 12, 2025.
- Crash: Moments after takeoff (around 13:39 IST), the plane lost altitude and crashed into a hospital hostel near Ahmedabad airport.
- Casualties: 241 people on board were killed. On the ground, 7 more died (including 5 medical students) and dozens were injured.
- Survivor: Only one passenger, Vishwashkumar Ramesh (British/Indian), survived and was hospitalized.
- Investigation: India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is leading the probe, aided by international experts. U.S. safety agencies (NTSB, FAA) and Boeing personnel are participating. The jet’s flight recorders (black boxes) have been recovered and are under analysis.
Crash Sequence and Site Details
According to flight data, AI-171 lifted off smoothly from Ahmedabad’s Runway 23 but failed to climb properly. Within about 30 seconds, the Dreamliner was seen flying too low over the city before it suddenly banked and dived into the ground. It crashed into the hostel building of a medical college (B.J. Medical College) a few hundred feet beyond the airport boundary. The impact was catastrophic: eyewitnesses reported a ball of fire and debris raining down; a massive column of smoke rose above the area.
The crash happened in the early afternoon on a hot day. According to Home Minister Amit Shah, the aircraft was carrying roughly 125,000 liters of jet fuel, which ignited upon impact. The intense fire made rescue extremely difficult. Gujarat’s Chief Minister and Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu were immediately notified; Naidu said on social media that he was “personally monitoring” rescue operations and that “all efforts” were being made to support victims.
Passengers, Crew, and Casualties
Flight AI-171 had 242 people on board – a mixture of passengers of various nationalities and Indian crew. As the aircraft broke apart, only one person survived. An official report confirmed 241 fatalities among passengers and crew. The dead included men, women and children from India, Britain, Portugal, and Canada. Notably, former Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani was confirmed among the victims.
On the ground, the crash hit a student cafeteria. Local authorities reported seven additional fatalities on the ground – including five medical students, a resident doctor and a doctor’s wife. Dozens of others were wounded by the debris and fire. Rescue teams recovered 186 bodies in total, most of them recovered from the aircraft wreckage. In the chaotic aftermath, a hospital official told media that over 50 students from the college were admitted with injuries, with several in critical condition.
Sole Survivor – Vishwashkumar Ramesh
Indian police and Air India identified the lone survivor as Vishwashkumar Ramesh, a 37-year-old British citizen of Indian origin. He was seated in Row 11, Seat A (11A) when the plane went down. Rescuers found him alive amid the mangled cabin. Ahmedabad Police Commissioner G.S. Malik said Ramesh “walked away” after the crash. He was conscious but disoriented with injuries; doctors have since stabilized him. Ramesh’s family reported that he had called home just before the crash to say the flight was in trouble, and after that made a frantic video call amid the chaos.
Amit Shah, India’s Home Minister, personally visited Ramesh in hospital and later praised the efforts of the first responders. Shah told reporters that the extreme heat from the burning fuel left “no chance of saving anyone” on board. Authorities set up hotlines (for example 1800-5691-444) and DNA identification teams to help relatives of the victims.
Official Reactions and Assistance
The crash prompted an outpouring of condolence and immediate action. India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the tragedy was “heartbreaking beyond words” and vowed full support for relief efforts. Modi spoke to the Civil Aviation Minister and directed “all possible assistance” to the affected families. The Prime Minister planned to visit Ahmedabad the next day, sources said.
Leaders around the world expressed sympathy. In London, opposition leader Keir Starmer (writing for the PM) called the crash “devastating” and expressed solidarity with the victims’ families. Similar messages came from governments in Britain, Portugal and Canada, as many victims hailed from those countries. U.S. President (then) Donald Trump offered American help, stating “anything we can do, we will do” to assist the rescue.
Air India’s management also issued statements. CEO Campbell Wilson said it was “a difficult day for all of us at Air India,” and that the airline was focused on caring for passengers, crew and their families. The Tata Group (which owns Air India) promised swift compensation: chairman N. Chandrasekaran said the company would pay 10 million rupees (about $117,000) to each deceased passenger’s family, and cover medical costs for those injured.
Investigation Underway
Indian authorities formed a high-level inquiry into the crash. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) of India has launched a formal probe under ICAO protocols. A black box recovery team retrieved both the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) and Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) from the wreckage. These “black boxes” will be sent to forensic labs for decoding. (Experts note that reading the data can take weeks, and a preliminary report is typically expected within 30 days.)
Several international agencies are assisting. The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) dispatched investigators at India’s request, and Boeing and the engine-maker GE have sent technical experts to the site. Boeing’s leadership has pledged full cooperation. Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg (in a company statement) said a Boeing team “stands ready to support the investigation led by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau”. The UK’s Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) and other European agencies are also on the case.
Preliminary clues have emerged. The CCTV video showed the jet climbing with its landing gear still down, which some analysts noted as abnormal. Air Traffic Control audio confirms the crew declared an emergency and cut communications after takeoff. The aircraft’s engine data and cockpit recordings will be scrutinized for any signs of mechanical failure, pilot input or other warnings.
Boeing and Industry Impact
This crash is notable as the first fatal accident involving a Boeing 787 Dreamliner since that model entered service in 2011. Until now the 787 had an excellent safety record. Boeing’s wider reputation has been strained in recent years by other incidents (such as the 737 MAX groundings). However, analysts caution that one crash of a 787 is unlikely to materially change airlines’ plans. Aero-space analyst Richard Aboulafia told the AP that, given what is known so far, he “doesn’t think it’s likely to have a very big impact on Boeing”. He noted that about 1,200 Dreamliners are in service worldwide, and demand for widebody jets remains high for fuel-efficient models like the 787.
On Wall Street, Boeing’s stock (NYSE: BA) saw only minor movement after the news. Industry observers pointed out that previous tragedies (including other types of crashes) typically cause only short-lived volatility. In midday trading on June 12, Boeing shares dipped but remained above key technical levels. Analysts say the long-term outlook for Boeing remains tied to airline demand, not a single accident.
Air India itself has been expanding its modern fleet under Tata ownership. Before the crash, the airline had already ordered hundreds of new aircraft from Boeing and Airbus as part of a turnaround effort. Air safety experts note that the Dreamliner is considered a state-of-the-art aircraft, and the cause of the Ahmedabad accident is not yet known. The AAIB will analyze whether any technical malfunction (engine, systems), weather factor, or pilot error occurred.
Context and Aftermath
This disaster is the deadliest in Indian aviation since 2010. For context, past accidents include an Air India Express Boeing 737 overshooting a runway in 2020 (total 18 dead) and an Air India flight to Mangalore crashing in 2010 (158 dead). The Ahmedabad crash has prompted questions about airport safety and emergency readiness, given the residential areas near the runway. Indian officials have said they will examine all regulatory and operational aspects once initial inquiries conclude.
In Ahmedabad, the city mourns. Rescue teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) arrived with 90 personnel to help recover victims. Local hospitals have treated survivors and the injured, including many young students. Memorials and tributes have begun, even as bereaved families await news of loved ones. The London-based Gujarati diaspora and other communities worldwide have also held vigils for the victims.
The investigation and recovery are expected to continue for days. Premier Modi has promised “full cooperation” with all investigators and has vowed improvements to prevent future tragedies. As the world learned the names and stories of the victims and the sole survivor’s miraculous escape, this Air India disaster has dominated headlines from India to the United States.
Sources: News agencies and press reports including AP, Reuters, Times of India, NDTV and NPR (information cited above).