An Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner en route to London Gatwick crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad on June 12, resulting in the deaths of 241 of the 242 people on board and additional fatalities on the ground.
Flight AI171 departed Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at 1:38 p.m. local time. Moments after takeoff, the pilot issued a mayday call, reporting loss of thrust and inability to climb. The aircraft descended rapidly and crashed into the hostel block of B. J. Medical College in the Meghaninagar neighborhood, approximately two kilometers from the airport.
The crash killed 241 passengers and crew members, including 169 Indian nationals, 53 British, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian. At least 38 people on the ground, including medical students and staff at the college, also lost their lives. Over 60 others sustained injuries.
The sole survivor, 40-year-old British national Vishwashkumar Ramesh, was seated in 11A near an emergency exit. He managed to escape the wreckage with minor injuries and is currently receiving treatment at Ahmedabad’s Civil Hospital. Ramesh’s brother, who was also on the flight, did not survive.
Air India CEO Campbell Wilson expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy, stating, “This is a difficult day for all of us at Air India.” The airline has announced interim compensation of ₹25 lakh (approximately $30,000) for the families of the deceased and the sole survivor, in addition to ₹1 crore (approximately $120,000) previously pledged by parent company Tata Sons.
Investigators have recovered the aircraft’s flight data and cockpit voice recorders. A joint investigation is underway, involving Indian authorities, the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board, and British aviation experts. Preliminary findings suggest a possible mechanical failure during the initial climb phase, but a definitive cause has yet to be determined.
This incident marks the first fatal crash involving a Boeing 787 Dreamliner since its introduction in 2011 and is among the deadliest aviation disasters in India’s history.
