At 13:39 IST on June 12, 2025, Air India Flight AI171 became aviation history’s first fatal Boeing 787 Dreamliner accident when the London-bound aircraft crashed into Ahmedabad’s Meghani Nagar residential area just minutes after wheels-up from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport.
The twin-engine widebody, registration VT-ANB, carried 242 people aboard—230 passengers and 12 crew members, according to official Air India statements. The passenger manifest included 217 adults and 11 children, with nationality breakdown showing 169 Indian nationals, 43 Britons, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian citizen.
Within moments of rotating off runway 23, Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, a Line Training Captain with 8,200 flight hours, assisted by First Officer Clive Kundar with 1,100 hours, transmitted a MAYDAY call to Air Traffic Control. No further radio contact followed.
Signal Lost Seconds After Takeoff
FlightRadar24 tracking data shows the 787’s transponder signal disappeared at 625 feet altitude, with the last signal received seconds after departure. The 2014-delivered Dreamliner, bound for London Gatwick, descended at approximately 475 feet per minute after the emergency call, spelling disaster for what had been a routine long-haul departure.
The Trent 1000-powered aircraft triggered an intense fire upon ground impact. Thick black smoke columns became visible across Ahmedabad’s western districts as television footage captured the moment of impact, showing debris on fire with massive smoke plumes rising near the airport perimeter.
Casualties and Emergency Response
Gujarat Police released provisional casualty figures at 18:00 IST, confirming 50 fatalities and 150 injured passengers and crew transported to area hospitals. Emergency services deployed at least seven fire engines and multiple ambulances immediately, with the Ahmedabad Fire and Emergency Services Department confirming units from various city divisions responded.
Fire officer Jayesh Khadia reported fire tenders rushing to douse the blaze, while visuals showed injured persons being moved on stretchers and evacuated in ambulances to city civil hospital and other medical facilities.
All roads leading to the crash site and surrounding areas were sealed off to facilitate rescue operations, as first responders battled the fuel-fed fire that marked commercial aviation’s entry into uncharted territory—the 787’s first hull loss since Boeing’s flagship entered service in 2011.
Airport Closure and Operations Impact
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport suspended all flight operations with immediate effect following the crash. The closure disrupted the western India aviation hub’s extensive domestic and international network, forcing diversions and passenger rebooking across the region’s air traffic system.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Kanan Desai stated: “We are acquiring details about the casualties,” while Ahmedabad Police Commissioner GS Malik confirmed: “A plane crashed in the Meghaninagar area near the airport.”
Government Response and Investigation Launch
Prime Minister Narendra Modi directed the aviation minister’s office to ensure all support is extended to rescue efforts immediately, with all relevant agencies placed on high alert for coordinated response efforts. Union Home Minister Amit Shah contacted Gujarat Chief Minister, the state’s Home Minister, and Police Commissioner, assuring complete central government support.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) confirmed the aircraft details, stating: “Air India B787 Aircraft VT-ANB, while operating flight AI-171 from Ahmedabad to Gatwick has crashed immediately after takeoff from Ahmedabad. There were 242 people on board the aircraft, consisting of 2 pilots and 10 cabin crew.”
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) launched formal investigation procedures alongside DGCA technical teams dispatched to assess the incident’s cause. Standard international coordination protocols will determine foreign agency participation as the probe develops.
MAYDAY Protocol and Aviation’s Emergency Procedures
A MAYDAY call represents aviation’s highest-priority distress signal, derived from the French phrase “m’aidez,” meaning “help me.” Air traffic control at Ahmedabad airport confirmed the aircraft issued the emergency call after departure but provided no further response thereafter.
The timing of the MAYDAY transmission during the initial climb phase indicates a critical system failure or emergency condition developed within the first minute of flight, triggering immediate crew distress protocols that proved insufficient for recovery.
Historic Aviation Milestone
This incident marks the first fatal crash involving a 787 Dreamliner, which had previously maintained a perfect passenger safety record since its introduction. The composite-built aircraft family had accumulated millions of flight hours across global operators without a single passenger fatality until Thursday’s Ahmedabad tragedy.
Boeing shares fell 6.8% to $199.13 in pre-market trading, reflecting immediate investor reaction to the Dreamliner’s first fatal accident. The stock decline mirrors historical patterns following major aircraft incidents, where manufacturer equity values face pressure pending investigation outcomes.
Airline Industry Context
Air India Chairman N. Chandrasekaran stated: “With profound sorrow I confirm that Air India flight AI 171 was involved in a tragic accident today. Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with the families and loved ones of all those affected. Emergency response teams have been activated and support centers are in place.”
“Flight AI171, operating Ahmedabad-London Gatwick, was involved in an incident today, 12 June 2025. At this moment, we are ascertaining the details,” Air India said in its initial statement posted on X.
Tata Group, which acquired the formerly state-owned Air India in 2022 and merged it with Vistara in 2024, activated an emergency center and established support teams for families seeking information about passengers and crew. Air India has released emergency helpline number 1800-569-1444, available 24/7 to provide real-time updates, support, and necessary assistance for families and relatives of passengers on board.
Historical Precedent and Safety Context
The crash site proximity to Ahmedabad Airport recalls the 1988 Indian Airlines Flight 113 tragedy, when a Boeing 737 crashed during approach in poor visibility, killing 133 of 135 aboard. That accident represented one of Indian commercial aviation’s deadliest incidents until Thursday’s 787 disaster.
India’s last fatal commercial aviation accident occurred in 2020 involving Air India Express, when a Boeing 737 overshot the runway at Kozhikode International Airport during monsoon conditions. Twenty-one people died when the aircraft skidded off the tabletop runway, plunging into a valley and crashing nose-first.
Investigation Priorities
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau faces analyzing the 787’s advanced fly-by-wire systems, engine performance data from the Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 powerplants, and cockpit communications leading to the MAYDAY call. Recovery of the Digital Flight Data Recorder and Cockpit Voice Recorder will prove essential for determining whether mechanical failure, human factors, or external circumstances triggered the emergency sequence.
The investigation timeline and preliminary findings will determine whether the global 787 fleet faces operational restrictions pending safety reviews, while Boeing confronts its first Dreamliner fatality investigation since the program’s 2011 service entry.
With rescue operations concluded and casualty assessments finalized at 50 deaths and 150 injuries, the Ahmedabad crash enters the record books as commercial aviation’s latest reminder of flight’s inherent risks. The Dreamliner’s decade-plus perfect passenger safety record ended in Meghani Nagar’s residential streets, where Air India’s AI171 became a permanent entry in aviation’s accident database and Boeing’s safety ledger.
