- Flight AI171 disappears from radar minutes after departure
- Over 240 passengers and crew were on board
- Full investigation launched into India’s first Dreamliner crash
An Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner operating Flight AI171 from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick crashed shortly after takeoff on Thursday afternoon, prompting a national emergency response and a full-scale investigation by aviation authorities.
According to preliminary reports, the aircraft took off at approximately 1:38 p.m. from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport but failed to gain sufficient altitude. Within two minutes of takeoff, the plane lost contact with air traffic control and crashed in the Meghani Nagar area, just outside the airport perimeter.
Officials confirmed that the pilot issued a "Mayday" call shortly before the aircraft vanished from radar. Eyewitnesses reported seeing the plane descend rapidly, followed by a loud explosion and a fireball upon impact. Emergency services were deployed immediately, with firefighters and rescue teams working to secure the crash site and assist potential survivors.
Initial estimates suggest that approximately 232 passengers and 12 crew members were on board at the time of the incident. Casualty figures are yet to be confirmed as search and rescue efforts continue.
Air India released a statement acknowledging the incident:
“Flight AI171, operating from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, was involved in an incident shortly after takeoff. We are coordinating with relevant authorities and will provide updates as information becomes available.”
India’s Civil Aviation Minister, Ram Mohan Naidu, expressed shock at the event and directed the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) to commence a thorough investigation.
Home Minister Amit Shah has also assured the Gujarat government of full federal support and coordination.
Technical teams have been deployed to recover the aircraft’s flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder ("black boxes") for analysis.
This incident marks the first-ever fatal crash involving a Boeing 787 Dreamliner since the aircraft model began commercial operations in 2011. The crash is likely to draw significant international attention given the aircraft's widely recognised safety record.
Summary of known details about Air India crash
Flight AI171: (Ahmedabad to London Gatwick)
Aircraft: Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner (VT-ANB)
Crash Location: Meghani Nagar, near Ahmedabad airport
Occupants: Approx. 244 (232 passengers, 12 crew)
Time of Incident: ~1:38 p.m. IST, June 12, 2025
Investigation: Led by DGCA and AAIB (ongoing).
Plane crash claims 179 lives in South Korea's worst air disaster
Earlier, TheRadar reported that 179 people were killed on Sunday, December 29, in South Korea’s deadliest aviation disaster when a Jeju Air flight crash-landed at Muan International Airport.
The Boeing 737-800, arriving from Bangkok, Thailand, erupted into flames after skidding off the runway and slamming into a wall. The South Korean Ministry of Transport confirmed the accident was the most fatal on South Korean soil and the worst involving a South Korean airline in nearly three decades.
