Tragedy In The Sky: Air India Flight 171 Crashes Minutes After Takeoff

Photo - The  Hindu

June 12, 2025 | 1:38 PM – Ahmedabad International Airport

At precisely 1:38 PM on June 12, 2025, Air India Flight 171, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, lifted off from Runway 23 at Ahmedabad International Airport, destined for London. Within moments, as the aircraft reached just 625 feet in altitude, Air Traffic Control received a chilling "Mayday" distress call. Seconds later, the flight vanished from radar screens.

Then came the unthinkable.

A thunderous explosion echoed across the city, followed by thick, black plumes of smoke rising into the sky. The aircraft, carrying 242 people—including passengers and crew—had crashed directly into a medical college hostel, where unsuspecting students were eating lunch.

A Catastrophic Loss of Life

Reports confirm the death toll has reached 294, a devastating number that includes students on the ground. The tragedy was magnified by the plane’s fully loaded fuel tank—filled with an estimated 80,000 liters of jet fuel—necessary for its 6,700 km journey to London. Upon impact, the fuel turned the hostel into a raging inferno, complicating rescue efforts.

Firefighters struggled to control the blaze as chunks of burning debris rained down, turning the scene into a nightmare of fire, metal, and ash.

Who Was Onboard?

The Dreamliner carried 230 passengers and 12 crew members. Among them:

• 169 Indian nationals
• 53 British citizens
• 7 from Portugal
• 1 Canadian
• 11 children and 2 infants

In command were Captain Sumit Sabrawal and First Officer Clive Kundar—both seasoned pilots with extensive experience.

A Glimmer of Survival Amid the Devastation

Amid the wreckage, a miracle emerged.

Ramesh Vishwas Kumar, seated in 11A near the emergency exit, survived. In a dazed account to the media, he recalled a deafening blast, followed by a horrifying silence filled with the sight of lifeless bodies. He ran, paralyzed by fear, until someone placed him into an ambulance. Tragically, his brother Ajay, who was traveling with him, remains missing.

The Aircraft and the Mystery

The Boeing 787 involved was 11 years old—a model known for its efficiency and safety. Weather conditions at the time of takeoff were clear, with no storms, rain, or low visibility, raising haunting questions:

• Was it an engine failure?
• Did the fuel tank explode?
• Was there a technical malfunction?

Initial findings suggest the aircraft may have struggled to gain altitude post takeoff, possibly due to the engines not delivering full thrust. While the Dreamliner is generally considered a safe aircraft, this model has faced past scrutiny for issues like battery faults and software bugs. It is yet to be determined if such issues played a role in this catastrophe.

All Eyes on the Black Box

Investigators are now focused on recovering the black box, the key to unlocking what truly happened. It holds critical data—flap positions, engine status, cockpit communications—that may offer answers to the mounting questions.

Meanwhile, families of the deceased are undergoing DNA sampling to help identify their loved ones, as the nation mourns a loss too immense to measure.