Air India Crash: Shocking Details, Rescue Efforts & What We Know So Far

Key Points at a Glance • Air India Flight 171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, crashed minutes after take-off from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on 12 June 2025, en route to London Gatwick. • The jet was carrying 242 passengers and crew; officials have confirmed “many fatalities” but have not released a final toll. • India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau have opened a joint probe while rescue teams search the wreckage for survivors. • Ahmedabad airport is closed to commercial traffic until further notice; flights are being diverted to Mumbai and Delhi. • Helpline numbers: Air India (+91-11-2565-6201), DGCA (+91-11-2462-8655). The Crash Sequence Witnesses reported seeing flames erupt from the Dreamliner seconds after it lifted off from Runway 23 around 10:05 a.m. local time. Airport firefighters reached the site—just beyond the perimeter wall—within three minutes, but the fuselage was already engulfed, hampering immediate evacuation efforts. Eyewitness Rahul Patel, who was waiting for a flight to Mumbai, said he heard a “loud thud followed by a fireball rising above the runway.” What We Know About Flight 171 • Aircraft: Boeing 787-8, registration VT-ANB, delivered to Air India in 2014 • Route: Ahmedabad (AMD) → London Gatwick (LGW) • Occupants: 234 passengers, 8 crew (per airline manifest) • Captain: 12,600 flight hours, 4,900 on the 787 platform • Weather: Visibility 10 km, light winds, temperature 33 °C—no immediate meteorological hazards reported. Possible Causes Under Investigation Investigators will analyze cockpit voice and flight-data recorders recovered from the debris. Early focus centers on: 1. Engine failure or uncontained engine fire on the left Trent 1000 powerplant reported by ATC seconds before the crash. 2. Bird-strike evidence found on the runway, now being sent for forensic testing. 3. Maintenance records: routine A-check was completed five days earlier in Mumbai. 4. Human factors, including potential spatial disorientation during initial climb. No conclusions are expected for several months, but DGCA has ordered immediate inspections of Air India’s 787 fleet as a precaution. Reactions From Authorities and Industry Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the crash “a national tragedy” and assured families that “every possible resource is being mobilized.” Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia is traveling to Ahmedabad to oversee relief operations. Boeing has issued a statement offering technical assistance to Indian investigators, while London Gatwick has set up support desks for relatives arriving in the UK. Impact on Air Travel and Passenger Rights All departures from Ahmedabad have been suspended until at least 18:00 IST. Passengers booked on AI171 and connecting flights can claim full refunds or rerouting under India’s Civil Aviation Requirements. Travel insurers categorize the incident as “extraordinary circumstances,” enabling immediate claims for trip interruption. Historical Context The 2025 Air India crash is the carrier’s deadliest accident since Flight 855 in 1978 and the most serious aviation disaster in India since the AirAsia India crash of 2022. It also marks the first fatal hull loss of a Boeing 787 in Indian commercial service, raising fresh questions about aviation safety oversight and emergency preparedness at rapidly growing tier-2 airports like Ahmedabad. What Happens Next • Search & Recovery: Teams will continue combing the site through the night with portable lighting towers. • Passenger List: Air India will publish an updated manifest once next of kin have been notified. • Preliminary Report: DGCA aims to release an initial factual summary within 30 days. • Policy Review: The Ministry of Civil Aviation will convene an expert panel to reassess runway firefighting standards and twin-engine ETOPS procedures for long-haul departures. This story is developing. Check back for confirmed casualty figures, survivor testimonies, and findings from the flight-data recorders as they become available.