AHMEDABAD, INDIA – June 13, 2025 – A pall of grief hangs heavy over Ahmedabad today after Air India flight AI171, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner bound for London, plummeted to the ground just minutes after takeoff yesterday, June 12, 2025. The horrific crash has claimed the lives of 241 people, including nearly all 232 passengers and 12 crew members, as well as multiple individuals on the ground. This marks the first fatal accident in the operational history of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, a model previously lauded for its impeccable safety record.
The ill-fated flight, carrying 169 Indian nationals and 53 British nationals, along with other foreign citizens, issued a desperate “Mayday” call shortly after liftoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. However, contact was lost swiftly as the aircraft struggled to gain altitude, crashing into a densely populated residential area just five minutes into its journey. The impact zone included a doctors’ hostel at B.J. Medical College, intensifying the tragic loss of life, with medical students and residents among the confirmed victims.
Rescue teams, battling thick smoke and raging fires fueled by the plane’s substantial fuel load, worked tirelessly through the night. While initial reports indicated no survivors, authorities later confirmed that one man, British national Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, miraculously survived after reportedly leaping from the second floor of the wreckage. He is currently receiving treatment at a local hospital, clinging to life amidst the widespread devastation.
The crash has sent shockwaves through both the aviation industry and the affected nations. Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu is personally overseeing the grim response, with the Ahmedabad airport remaining shut down for investigations. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has launched a formal inquiry, with support from the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the UK’s Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB). While the cause remains undetermined, initial observations from circulated videos suggest potential issues with the plane’s flaps or even engine failure. Weather conditions at the time were reportedly clear.
This disaster delivers a severe blow to Boeing, which has faced intense scrutiny over its 737 series in recent years. The previously unblemished safety record of the 787 Dreamliner has now been tragically marred. Air India, recently privatized under the Tata Group, also faces renewed challenges as it grapples with the aftermath of this unprecedented tragedy.
One man—seat 11A, right by the exit—emerged from the wreckage of Air India Flight 171 on foot, dazed and burned but alive. The Boeing 787-8 had just lifted off from Ahmedabad on June 12, bound for London Gatwick with 242 people aboard, when it vanished behind buildings and erupted in a fireball.
Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a 40-year-old British national, jumped from the flaming fuselage and was later filmed walking toward an ambulance. “Thirty seconds after take-off, there was a loud noise and then the plane crashed,” he told reporters from his hospital bed. “I was scared. I ran. There were bodies all around me.”
The aircraft lost contact just seconds into the climb, crashing into a doctors’ hostel in the Meghani Nagar area. The final altitude recorded: just 625 feet.
Authorities have not confirmed if Vishwash is the sole survivor, but he remains the only person seen escaping alive. His brother, also onboard, is missing.
Air India, Boeing, and Indian regulators have launched parallel investigations. As families await word, debris is still being sifted for signs of life—or closure.As loved ones gather outside hospitals, a poignant mix of despair and faint hope permeates the air. The words of one survivor’s mother resonate deeply: “He jumped from the second floor, he’s alive, but many others weren’t as lucky.” The world watches, waiting for answers and grieving with the families of those lost in this heartbreaking aerial catastrophe. Boeing’s stock, impacted by the news, plunged by as much as 7% in pre-market trading, reflecting the profound global concerns sparked by this incident.