On June 12, 2025, an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner flight AI-171, en route from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport to London’s Gatwick Airport, tragically crashed moments after takeoff. The aircraft, carrying 242 people on board, impacted BJ Medical College and a student hostel near the airport, exploding into flames. Only one passenger, British national Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, survived the catastrophic incident.

The crash devastated numerous lives and shattered aspirations. Among the victims was Payal Khatik, a young lady embarking on her first international journey to pursue a Master’s degree in engineering and technology in the UK. Her family had taken out significant loans to fund her education, a dream abruptly ended by the disaster. Her cousin, Bharat Chauhan, emphasized her status as the first in their family to travel abroad, and a relative mentioned Payal’s additional income from tutoring children to support her family.

Crew members also perished in the crash, including senior cabin crew member Aparna Mahadik and First Officer Clive Kunder. Aparna’s young daughter poignantly recalled her mother’s last words, “Mom said she’ll be back,” as her family grappled with the loss and submitted DNA samples for identification. Air India and the Tata Group publicly mourned First Officer Kunder, hailing him as a dedicated and promising aviator, with senior leaders attending his funeral service to offer solidarity and grief support.

The tragedy extended beyond the flight’s passengers and crew, affecting individuals on the ground. Akash Patni, a teenage boy, was killed while resting near his family’s tea stall close to the crash site. His mother, Sita, survived with injuries but remained unaware of her son’s death. Medical student Keshav Bhadana miraculously escaped with injuries when the plane struck BJ Medical College’s dining area during lunchtime. He lost four close friends who were dining with him, initially mistaking the impact for a dust storm, an earthquake, or even a missile attack before realizing it was a plane crash upon seeing suitcases fall from above.

Despite the widespread devastation, a few individuals narrowly escaped the ill-fated flight. Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, the sole survivor, carried the profound guilt of not being able to save his brother, Ajay Ramesh, who was also on board. Another fortunate individual was Bhoomi Chauhan, who missed the flight by merely 10 minutes due to heavy traffic in Ahmedabad city. Furthermore, a couple reported choosing to fly with a different airline on June 14, feeling immensely grateful after initially considering Air India for its affordability.

In the aftermath, Air India and its parent company, Tata Group, swiftly announced a joint compensation package exceeding 12.5 million rupees (approximately $144,356.75) for the families of the deceased. This included an interim payment of 2.5 million rupees ($28,870) or £21,000 from Air India, supplemented by an additional £85,000 from Tata Sons under the Montreal Convention. Tata Sons also planned to establish an “AI171 trust” to provide ongoing support to the affected families. Investigations into the crash, with the black box recovered, suggested system or multiple systems failures as the likely cause.

The incident also prompted operational adjustments for Air India, which announced a 15% reduction in its international widebody services and offered flexible rebooking options or full refunds. The airline cited ongoing safety inspections and geopolitical instability as key factors. This led to concerns among some passengers, such as Prithpal Matharu, who faced a $1,400 cancellation fee after choosing to cancel his flight due to safety anxieties and previous flight cancellations by the airline, highlighting the tension between airline policies and passenger fears in the wake of the tragedy.