Ahmedabad | June 14, 2025, In one of the deadliest aviation disasters in India’s history, at least 274 people have been confirmed dead following the crash of Air India Flight AI-171, which was en route to London Gatwick. The catastrophic incident occurred moments after takeoff from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on Thursday afternoon.
The ill-fated Boeing 787 aircraft was carrying 242 individuals, including 230 passengers, two pilots, and 10 cabin crew members. The crash also resulted in significant ground casualties, as the aircraft came down on a residential block near a local medical college in the Meghaninagar area. Preliminary estimates suggest that among the deceased are several medical students and local residents.
Authorities have confirmed that only one individual survived the tragedy—an Indian-origin British national—who is currently receiving medical treatment. Among those killed was former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, who was listed among the passengers.
The aircraft lost altitude seconds after its departure at approximately 1:30 PM and slammed into a densely populated area, triggering a massive fireball and thick plumes of smoke visible across the city. Emergency responders, including fire and rescue teams, arrived promptly on the scene, but the scale of devastation was overwhelming.
On Thursday night, investigators recovered the aircraft’s cockpit voice recorder, commonly referred to as the black box—a crucial component in understanding the sequence of events leading to the crash. Efforts are underway to retrieve the flight data recorder and the aircraft’s digital video recorder (DVR), which are expected to provide further insight.
Central investigative agencies, including the National Investigation Agency (NIA), visited the crash site on Friday. While officials have not ruled out foul play, they are currently focusing on analyzing technical and flight data to determine the cause of the tragedy.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the Ministry of Civil Aviation announced the formation of a high-level, multi-disciplinary inquiry committee to thoroughly examine the circumstances surrounding the crash of Air India Flight AI-171. The committee will include experts in aviation safety, air traffic control, aircraft engineering, and intelligence.
As the nation mourns the lives lost, recovery operations continue amid calls for a transparent and swift investigation. The tragedy has reignited debates over air safety standards and oversight in India’s civil aviation sector.
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