The tragic crash of Air India Flight 171 on June 12, 2025, has shaken India and the world, becoming one of the deadliest aviation disasters in the country’s history. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner, operating from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, suffered a rare dual engine failure just moments after its 1:38 PM IST takeoff.
Eyewitnesses described the aircraft struggling to gain altitude, and video footage showed it descending rapidly before crashing into a densely populated residential area in Ahmedabad. The plane struck the hostel block and doctors’ quarters of the B.J. Medical College campus, triggering a massive explosion and thick plumes of smoke.
The human cost is devastating. All 241 people on board—including 230 passengers and 11 crew members—were confirmed dead by Air India. On the ground, at least 38 more lives were lost, including several young medical students. Families have been shattered, with some losing multiple members in a single moment.
Amid the destruction, one miracle emerged: Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a 40-year-old British man, survived the crash. Seated near an emergency exit, he managed to escape the burning wreckage, astonishing both the public and aviation experts.
Grieving families—many from India and the UK—have expressed deep frustration over the slow and disorganized response from British authorities, especially in providing timely support and information.
The plane’s black boxes—the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder—have been successfully recovered. A high-level investigation involving multiple agencies is now underway to determine the exact cause of the engine failure and to ensure that such a disaster never happens again.
This crash is not only a technical failure but a profound human tragedy. It has left behind a nation in mourning, demanding answers, justice, and improved aviation safety for the future.
