Breaking News: Air India Flight AI171 Crashes Near Ahmedabad, Raising Safety Concerns
Ahmedabad, India – June 12, 2025,
A catastrophic crash involving Air India flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner en route to London Gatwick, has left over 200 feared dead after the aircraft went down shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad airport today. The incident, unfolding at approximately 1:38 PM local time, marks a grim milestone as the first fatal crash of a 787 Dreamliner since its introduction in 2011.
A catastrophic crash involving Air India flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner en route to London Gatwick, has left over 200 feared dead after the aircraft went down shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad airport today. The incident, unfolding at approximately 1:38 PM local time, marks a grim milestone as the first fatal crash of a 787 Dreamliner since its introduction in 2011.
Incident Overview
The flight, carrying 242 individuals—230 passengers and 12 crew members—departed under challenging conditions, with temperatures reaching 37°C and a full fuel load weighing down the aircraft. Preliminary analysis, including insights from aviation enthusiast
@PilotPoli
on X, points to a potential misconfiguration: the plane’s flaps may have been set to 0 degrees, far below the recommended 5 or 15 degrees for takeoff. This setting, exacerbated by high temperatures and a heavy load, likely hindered the aircraft’s ability to generate sufficient lift. Data from Flightradar24 indicates the plane reached a maximum altitude of about 625 feet before issuing a mayday call and plummeting. The landing gear remaining down, with no retraction observed, suggests the crew may have recognized a problem early in the flight.Eyewitnesses described a harrowing scene, with a towering column of black smoke billowing from the crash site in Meghani Nagar, where the aircraft struck a residential building serving as accommodation for doctors. The impact triggered a significant fuel fire, complicating rescue efforts.
Passenger Manifest and Notable Figures
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has confirmed the passenger breakdown: 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, one Canadian, and seven Portuguese nationals. Among the passengers was former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, adding a layer of national significance to the tragedy. Air India has set up a dedicated hotline (1800 5691 444) to assist families and is cooperating with ongoing investigations.
