On 12 June 2025, Air India Flight AI171, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner bound for London Gatwick, crashed shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad. On board were 231 passengers and 11 crew members. All but one lost their lives.
It is the first fatal crash involving a 787 Dreamliner since the aircraft entered service over a decade ago.
This is not just an aviation story. It’s a human one.
In This Post
A Heavy Loss
The aircraft went down in a residential area near the airport, igniting a fire that spread to a nearby doctor’s hostel. The sole survivor, seated in 11A beside an emergency exit, walked away from it. How, you ask? Well, that’s a miracle, for sure.
Officials say the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder have been recovered. Investigations are ongoing, involving India’s Air Accident Investigation Bureau, the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), and Boeing representatives. So far, early reports suggest a possible power failure or configuration issue during the aircraft’s initial climb; however, it’s too early to draw conclusions.
UPDATE: Air India confirms that flight AI171, operating from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick on 12 June 2025, was involved in an accident.
The 12-year-old Boeing 787-8 aircraft departed from Ahmedabad at 1338 hrs, carrying 230 passengers and 12 crew.
The aircraft crashed shortly…
— Air India (@airindia) June 12, 2025
I Flew With Air India. I’d Do It Again.
I flew Air India last year, travelling between Delhi and Amritsar as part of a trip through India. I still remember the warm cabin crew, the excellent masala chai served mid-flight and the airline’s sense of national pride.
Air India gets a lot of flak, often unfairly. However, based on my experience and that of many others who have flown long-haul, it’s a solid airline. The 787s in their fleet are modern, clean, and capable aircraft. That’s what makes today’s loss all the more heartbreaking.
Still, the Safest Way to Travel
A tragedy like this understandably shakes public confidence. But it’s important to remember the broader context:
- The Boeing 787 has flown millions of safe hours since entering service in 2011.
- Air India has dramatically improved its safety record over the past two decades.
- And commercial aviation remains statistically the safest form of travel, safer than driving, cycling, or even walking per kilometre.
What makes flying so safe isn’t luck. It’s relentless investigation, training, and improvement. Every accident, however painful, leaves behind answers. Those answers save lives.
Video circulating reportedly shows the Air India 787 failing to climb moments after takeoff from Ahmedabad. https://t.co/YSgHTUH4ux pic.twitter.com/pQuykWQWva
— Breaking Aviation News & Videos (@aviationbrk) June 12, 2025
What Comes Next
Investigators will now look at:
- The technical systems of the aircraft, from power and hydraulics to flight control computers
- The crew’s response, including any emergency communications and decision-making
- Maintenance logs and records to rule out systemic issues
- The airport environment, weather, and possible external factors
We’ll also likely see changes in procedures, whether in pilot training, aircraft checklists, or airport operations, not just in India but globally.
This is how aviation evolves. It’s reactive, yes, but deeply effective.
Mourning and Moving Forward
There are families grieving tonight both in India and abroad. Passengers were bound for homes, holidays, business meetings, and reunions. And the ground victims, doctors, nurses, and students were simply at home.
It’s a tragedy on every level. No words will suffice.
But there is one truth worth holding on to: aviation will not ignore this. Regulators will act. Engineers will revise. Airlines will learn.
Message from Campbell Wilson, MD & CEO, Air India. pic.twitter.com/19MiwtkwAI
— Air India (@airindia) June 12, 2025
Final Thought
There is no silver lining when a plane crashes. There is only grief and a slow, determined march toward prevention. But that march matters. It’s what keeps the skies safe.
I’ll still fly with Air India. I trust the process that follows, and I believe in the good people behind the uniform, from pilots and crew to engineers and regulators.
And I believe this: from every accident, we learn how to prevent the next one. #Air India Flight AI171
