Air India Dreamliner Crashes After Takeoff From Ahmedabad, 242 Onboard

Tragedy struck Thursday afternoon when Air India Flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner bound for London Gatwick, crashed just minutes after taking off from Ahmedabad airport, plummeting into the Meghani Nagar residential neighborhood. The aircraft was carrying 242 passengers and crew members, including 169 Indian nationals, 53 British, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian, according to an Air India statement. India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) later revised the total count slightly to 244, with 232 passengers and 12 crew members onboard.

Eyewitnesses described a horrifying scene of smoke, flames, and debris engulfing the area. Emergency responders rushed to the crash site, pulling survivors from the wreckage and transporting them to nearby hospitals. Video footage circulating online showed smoke billowing into the sky and paramedics moving victims on stretchers amid chaotic scenes.

“Mayday” Call Before Silence

Air India Flight AI171 took off from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at approximately 1:38 PM local time (08:08 GMT). According to air traffic control, the aircraft issued a “mayday” distress call just minutes after departure — a chilling signal that was followed by radio silence before the aircraft vanished from radar.

The airport quickly suspended all flight operations, and the surrounding airspace was cleared to facilitate rescue efforts.

First Crash Involving a Boeing 787 Dreamliner

Aviation experts are stunned, as this incident marks the first fatal crash involving an Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner, widely regarded as one of the safest aircraft in modern aviation. Known for its advanced technology and carbon-fiber construction, the 787 had built a 15-year record without a single hull loss or fatal incident.

“This is deeply shocking,” said aviation analyst Alex Macheras. “The Dreamliner has been an industry standard for safety and innovation. To see this happen is truly unprecedented.”

Government Responds

India’s Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu said he was “shocked and devastated” by the crash and pledged a full investigation. “My thoughts and prayers are with all those on board and their families,” he said on X (formerly Twitter). “Rescue teams have been mobilized, and all efforts are being made to ensure swift medical and relief support.”

Questions Loom Over the Cause

Investigators from the DGCA and the Air India Safety Board have launched a probe to determine the cause of the crash. Initial reports suggest the emergency may have been mechanical in nature, but the recovery of the black box will be critical in uncovering what went wrong.

The last major air disaster in India occurred in 2020, when an Air India Express flight overshot a runway in Kozhikode, killing 21. Today’s tragedy is poised to become one of the deadliest aviation incidents in recent Indian history.

As families await word on survivors, the crash of Air India Flight AI171 is already being described as a dark day for Indian aviation.