AHMEDABAD, INDIA – June 13, 2025 – Tragedy struck on Thursday afternoon when Air India Flight 171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner en route to London’s Gatwick Airport, crashed into a densely populated residential area shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad, resulting in the deaths of at least 265 people.
The aircraft, carrying 242 passengers and crew members, had just lifted off the runway when it issued a mayday signal and failed to gain sufficient altitude. Eyewitnesses reported that the plane struggled at around 100 metres (330 feet) before plummeting into a neighbourhood adjacent to the airport. The fiery impact destroyed buildings, including a canteen where students were having lunch, and a hostel housing medical staff. Authorities say that at least 24 of the victims were on the ground.
Amidst the devastation, a miracle emerged. One man, identified as British citizen Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, survived the crash and recounted his harrowing experience from his hospital bed. “At first, I thought I was going to die. But when I opened my eyes, I realised I was still alive,” Ramesh said. He described seeing the aircraft’s green and white lights just before the impact and experiencing a strange jolt moments after takeoff.
Officials confirmed that the plane was carrying 169 Indian nationals, 53 British, seven Portuguese, one Canadian passenger, and 12 crew members. The official death toll is expected to rise as investigators continue to retrieve bodies and identify remains. DNA testing has been initiated to confirm victims’ identities, with samples being collected from relatives, including those living abroad.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Kanan Desai reported that 265 bodies had been found by Friday. Home Minister Amit Shah assured the public that a formal count would be released after DNA tests were complete.
Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu confirmed that the flight’s black box and cockpit voice recorder had been recovered, a critical development that could help unravel the cause of the crash. “This will significantly aid the investigation,” he stated.
On Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the crash site and later met with survivor Vishwash Ramesh in the hospital. At an emergency center in the city, anguished families arrived to submit DNA samples, hoping for answers.
Ashfaque Nanabawa, 40, said he lost his cousin, Akeel Nanabawa, along with Akeel’s wife and young daughter. He recalled Akeel’s final message, sent just before takeoff: “I am in the plane and I have boarded safely and everything is okay.” It was the last anyone heard from him.
Another grieving relative, too overcome with sorrow to be named, said her son-in-law had perished. “My daughter doesn’t know he’s gone. I can’t break the news to her—can someone else please do that?”
Volunteer rescuers described a horrific scene of charred remains and widespread destruction. “The bodies were totally burnt. It was like coal,” said Bharat Solanki, who rushed to help after hearing the crash from a nearby fuel station.
The crash site lies in the heart of Ahmedabad, Gujarat’s most populous city with over eight million residents. The airport is flanked by tightly packed buildings and housing blocks. A doctor named Krishna said, “Half of the plane crashed into a residential building where many doctors lived with their families.”
Boeing, the U.S.-based manufacturer of the Dreamliner, acknowledged the crash and expressed its willingness to support Air India in the investigation. Industry sources noted this is the first known crash involving a Boeing 787 Dreamliner since its introduction.
As the investigation unfolds, the nation mourns the devastating loss of life and searches for answers behind one of India’s worst aviation disasters in recent memory.
