Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], June 12: In a tragic turn of events, Air India flight AI171, en route to London Gatwick, crashed shortly after take-off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad on Thursday, sending shockwaves across the nation.
The flight, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, took off at 13:38 IST with 242 people on board, including 12 crew members. According to Air India, there were 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, 7 Portuguese, and 1 Canadian onboard. Several injured passengers have been rushed to nearby hospitals for emergency treatment.
A dedicated passenger hotline, 1800 5691 444, has been launched to assist families and provide real-time updates. In a statement, the airline said:
“Air India confirms that flight AI171, from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, was involved in an accident today after take-off… Air India is giving its full cooperation to the authorities investigating this incident.”
As a direct consequence of the accident, all flight operations at Ahmedabad Airport have been temporarily suspended until further notice, officials confirmed.
India’s Worst Aviation Disasters
The crash of flight AI171 brings back harrowing memories of India’s most catastrophic air accidents, each leaving a lasting scar on the country’s aviation history:
- Charkhi Dadri Mid-Air Collision (1996): A Saudi Arabian Airlines Boeing 747 and Kazakhstan Airlines Flight 1907 collided mid-air, killing 349 people — the deadliest mid-air collision in history.
- Air India Express Flight (2010): Flying from Dubai to Mangalore, the aircraft overshot the runway, killing 158 people.
- Indian Airlines Flight (1988): Crashed near Ahmedabad on final approach due to pilot error, killing 130 passengers.
- Air India Flight 855 (1978): Crashed into the Arabian Sea just after takeoff from Mumbai, killing all 213 onboard.
- Indian Airlines Flight 605 (1990): Crashed while landing in Bangalore, resulting in 92 casualties.
- Indian Airlines Flight 491 (1993): Hit a truck at the end of the runway in Aurangabad, killing 55.
- Alliance Air Crash (2000): Crashed in a Patna residential area, killing 55 passengers.
- Air India Express Crash (2020): Again on the Dubai-Kozhikode route, the plane overshot the runway, killing 18 people.
Military Crashes Also Plague India’s Aviation Record
- Bay of Bengal (2016): An IAF aircraft crashed, resulting in 29 military personnel deaths.
- Arunachal Pradesh (2019): IAF plane crashed in hilly terrain, killing 13 personnel.
- Jamnagar (2025): A Jaguar fighter jet crashed during a training mission, killing the pilot.
As rescue operations continue and investigations are underway, the nation mourns another aviation tragedy, adding to a long list of somber air disasters that have reshaped India’s approach to flight safety and crisis management.