Raphael Warjri

In a catastrophic aviation disaster, Air India Flight AI171—a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner en route to London Gatwick—crashed shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on June 12, 2025. The aircraft was carrying 242 people, including 230 passengers and 12 crew members.

Authorities have confirmed that 204 individuals lost their lives, including five hostel residents of B.J. Medical College, where the aircraft crashed into the mess block during lunch hours. Among the deceased students were four undergraduates and one postgraduate resident, whose names are being withheld pending official confirmation and family notification.

Two members of the cabin crew, both from Manipur, have been identified as Nganthoi Sharma Kongbrailatpam and Lamnunthem Singson. Both were on duty at the time of the crash and are among those confirmed dead.

According to official sources, only one survivor, a British national seated in 11A, has been rescued and is currently undergoing treatment in a critical care unit in Ahmedabad.

Rescue and recovery efforts were launched immediately, involving personnel from the Indian Army, NDRF, CRPF, CISF, Coast Guard, and local emergency services. A full-scale investigation is now underway, with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) receiving support from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and UK air crash investigators.

This incident marks the first-ever fatal crash involving a Boeing 787 aircraft. Black box data and cockpit recordings are currently being analyzed to determine the exact cause of the crash.

As the nation mourns, Air India and the Tata Group have extended financial assistance to the families of the victims and pledged support for rebuilding the hostel facilities impacted by the disaster.