AHMEDABAD, June 13, 2025 – A routine flight turned into one of India’s deadliest aviation disasters as Air India Flight AI171 crashed just 33 seconds after takeoff from Ahmedabad on Wednesday. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner slammed into the B.J. Medical College hostel, killing 241 of the 242 people on board. The crash also claimed 28 lives on the ground and left nearly 60 others injured.

 

A Catastrophic Turn to an Ordinary Day

 

The Dreamliner, bound for London Gatwick, had barely taken flight before it lost altitude and crashed into a densely populated hostel for doctors. The impact triggered a massive fire that engulfed the building, collapsing multiple floors and scattering flaming debris across the college campus.

Passengers included 169 Indians, 53 British nationals, 7 Portuguese, and 1 Canadian. Most of the ground victims were medical students and staff. Survivors described chaos: “It was like the sky fell on us,” said one resident.

 

11A: A Seat, A Story, The Lone Survivor

 

Amidst the destruction, only one passenger survived: Vishwashkumar Ramesh, seated in 11A near an emergency exit. He escaped with burns and minor injuries. From his hospital bed, he recalled:

“I was trapped in fire and death. I don’t know how I’m alive.”

His brother, who was traveling with him, perished in the crash. Ramesh's survival is being called a miracle

 

PM Modi Visits Crash Site: “This Void Can Never Be Filled”

 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the crash site within hours, consoling grieving families and visiting survivors at Civil Hospital. Visibly emotional, he addressed the nation:

“What we’ve witnessed is beyond tragedy. This void... it can never be filled. But India stands with every family broken by this.”

Emergency services including the NDRF, NSG, IAF, and BSF worked around the clock. Support has also arrived from the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), Boeing, GE, and the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).

 

Search for Answers: Black Box Recovered, Investigation Underway

 

One of the aircraft’s two black boxes has been recovered, offering a critical lead into what caused the crash. While early speculation points to a possible thrust loss or lift failure, officials from the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), along with Boeing and GE engineers, have begun analyzing the data.

Air India Flight AI171 Marks First Fatal Boeing 787 Crash in India’s Aviation History. This is the first fatal crash of a Boeing 787 Dreamliner since its debut in 2011. The aircraft, tail number VT-ANB, was 12 years old.

 

AI171: India’s First Fatal Boeing 787 Crash

This incident marks India’s first fatal crash involving a Boeing 787 Dreamliner since the model’s debut in 2011. The aircraft, tail number VT-ANB, was 12 years old and part of Tata-owned Air India’s long-haul fleet.

 

What We Know So Far

  1. Aircraft: 12-year-old Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner

  2. Flight: Air India AI171, Ahmedabad to London Gatwick

  3. Casualties: 241 passengers & crew, 28 ground deaths, 60+ injured

  4. Only one survivor on board

  5. Black box recovered, second underway

  6. Investigation led by AAIB with support from NTSB, FAA, Boeing, GE

 

A Nation United in Grief

As India mourns its most heartbreaking air disaster in years, the focus remains on honoring the victims, comforting the survivors, and seeking truth with accountability.

This wasn't just an air crash—it was a national tragedy etched in fire and memory.