In a devastating turn of events, Air India Flight AI171—a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner on its London-bound journey—crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on Thursday, June 12, 2025. According to multiple reports, the flight suffered catastrophic technical difficulties almost immediately after liftoff. Eyewitness accounts and airport CCTV footage captured the aircraft in its final moments: after a seemingly normal takeoff, the Dreamliner failed to gain adequate altitude and skimmed dangerously close to the ground before colliding with a hostel building associated with a local medical college in the Meghaninagar area .
The flight, carrying a total of 242 individuals—including 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, 7 Portuguese, and 1 Canadian, along with a crew of 12—met with overwhelming tragedy. Early reports confirm that nearly all passengers and crew lost their lives in the horrifying incident. Remarkably, amid the wreckage, 40-year-old Ramesh Viswashkumar emerged as the sole survivor, an outcome that has stunned survivors, emergency responders, and investigators alike .
Rescue operations at the crash site have been both urgent and challenging. Emergency services, grappling with plumes of thick smoke, debris, and intense heat emanating from the impact zone, continue their painstaking work to retrieve victims and secure the area. Initial investigations reveal that the cockpit issued a “Mayday” call immediately after takeoff, with communication cutting off moments later, suggesting a rapid and unforeseen malfunction or control failure. Aviation authorities, including the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), are coordinating efforts to retrieve vital flight data recorders (the “black boxes”) to determine the exact sequence of events leading to the crash .
The tragedy has elicited immediate, heartfelt responses from national leaders and the international community. Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the incident as “heartbreaking beyond words” and assured full government support to the victims’ families. Other prominent figures—from state leaders to opposition politicians—have shared their condolences while calling for a thorough investigation into the factors that led to this severe malfunction. In parallel, discussions regarding compensation for the victims’ next of kin have already emerged, reflecting the broader impact this disaster has had on the nation .
As the investigation unfolds and rescue efforts continue amid harrowing conditions, the nation grieves the enormous loss of life while the aviation community braces for critical introspection into safety protocols and emergency response systems. The ongoing probe will aim to uncover whether technical failure, human error, or other unforeseen factors contributed to the calamity, with comprehensive findings expected in the coming days.
The Air India Flight AI171 tragedy not only underscores the fragility of air travel but also calls for immediate action to strengthen aviation safety standards globally. With families, friends, and communities in mourning, government agencies and industry experts are combing through every detail to ensure accountability and to prevent such a heart-wrenching episode from recurring.