Tragic Air India Boeing 787 Crash Claims Lives
Today marks a sorrowful chapter in aviation history—a day when the so-called “Dreamliner” fell out of the sky for the first time since it began flying the friendly skies nearly 15 years ago.
Air India Ahmedabad-London Flight Ends in Tragedy Shortly After Takeoff
Earlier today, on June 12, 2025, Air India’s disciplined Flight AI171, destined to take 242 souls from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, took a nosedive, becoming a chilling reality of what ifs. The Boeing 787-8, carrying the tailsign VT-ANB, was just 11 years old yet ironically was nicknamed Dreamliner—dreaming that today’s flight would be yet another safe trip.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) of India reported the aircraft plunged to the ground right after launching into the sky, vanishing with 242 people on board. We know lives of diverse nationalities—169 Indians, 53 Brits, seven Portuguese, one Canadian—were torn from the sky.
At precisely 1:39 PM, the metal bird ascended from runway 23, pilots relaying a frantic “mayday” call. Silence afterward. Less than a minute in the air, at a mere 625 feet, it all went south. Notably, the dream then crashed in flames just outside the airport, right into a residential complex linked to a medical college, adding yet another layer of grief. Video clips capturing the aftermath vented heavy black smoke into our collective consciousness.
As the world searches for answers, Twitter gives glimpses of horror with the hashtag #PlaneCrash.
The grim reaper clearly didn’t spare many, confirming at least 290 lives were forever altered or lost, including nearly everyone on board and those unlucky on the ground. Rescuers are still fighting the clock to bring closure to the anguish-stricken.
This catastrophe pulls at the heartstrings. Thoughts and prayers resonate as we grapple with the magnitude of loss, hoping for some unfathomable good amid all this darkness.
One faint yet miraculous glimmer of relief—there’s a lone survivor, clutching life in seat 11A, barely scratched. Imagine the swirl of gratitude and guilt that must cross his mind as he leaves the crash inferno behind.
Deciphering the Cause: What Played Out Above and Went South Below?
As it happens with such calamities, now’s not the time for wild guesses. Though, footage provides a stark glimpse into the mystery—showing the jet struggling to stay up. Oddly, landing gears were still out when they should’ve tucked away as part of climbing course 101.
The video evidence turns the plane’s harsh demise into a vivid vignette of tragedy—no hashtag can convey.
Most telling is a deployed ram air turbine, which typically pops out during full power failure, only adding to the dizzying questions needing concrete answers someday.
Despite circumstances, let’s give a nod to the captain, a seasoned flyer with 8,200 hours in the air, and acknowledge the first officer trying to get his wings at 1,100 hours. Experience sometimes stands no chance against fate.
A Dreamliner’s First Hull Loss: Shattering the Illusion of Safety
No second guessing here, air travel paints itself safe—tragedies like these are rare. India, with its effervescent aviation boom, holds a commendable safety record, even with its youthful workforce.
Make no mistake; this is the very first hull loss for the Dreamliner since it joined commercial ranks in 2011. A stony silence follows this first wide-body passenger crash in years, broke only by grim echoes.
Across the skies, over 1,100 Dreamliners dot the air pathways. Air India alone commands a fleet of 26 787-8 beauties along with seven of its taller sibling, the 787-9, thanks to the Vistara merger.
In the wake of calamity, Air India’s CEO Campbell Wilson delivered a somberly urgent address as his own flight diverged off course for him to land and deal with the tragic aftermarket.
Final Thoughts
Here we are staring down a dark day in the annals of aviation as an Air India Boeing 787 couldn’t hold on to its life’s breath during a routine ascent from Ahmedabad, never making it to London. Unfathomable heartache hovers, exacerbated by the 290 loss of lives, save one, who grapples with survival. Amidst flying amidst the horror, check out brighter destinations like the Val Seny ski resort to remind you of better possibilities.
The accident lays bare the raw unpredictability lurking in our seemingly controlled world. An investigative road lies ahead, hoping to unearth truths to prevent echoes of today from haunting us tomorrow.