The Air India Flight 171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, tragically crashed on June 12, 2025, shortly after its takeoff from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, bound for London’s Gatwick Airport. This devastating incident, described as one of the deadliest air disasters in decades, resulted in the deaths of all but one of the 242 people on board. The aircraft slammed into the BJ Medical College and Hospital in Ahmedabad, erupting into a fireball and claiming the lives of four doctors, while injuring at least 24 others who were in the canteen. The impact also killed at least 19 individuals on the ground, including a couple, Ranveersinh Chavda and his wife Chetnaba, who were on an electric scooter on an errand, and a teenage boy, Akash Patni, who was resting near his family's tea stall.

Indian investigators have made significant progress in understanding the crash, successfully retrieving data from the plane’s cockpit voice and flight data recorders, commonly known as black boxes. These crucial devices were flown to the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau in New Delhi, where data extraction and analysis are now underway. These efforts aim to reconstruct the sequence of events leading to the accident, identify contributing factors, and ultimately enhance aviation safety to prevent future occurrences. In addition to the black boxes, Ahmedabad police commissioner GS Malik revealed that over 100 mobile phones have been recovered from the crash site, with the hope of retrieving recordings that could provide vital clues about the flight’s final moments. The plane itself is also being painstakingly reconstructed at an undisclosed location to detect any signs of mechanical failure, structural faults, or explosions.

Air India had previously stated that the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner was "well-maintained" and that its pilots were "accomplished flyers." However, relatives of the victims, such as Imtiyaz Ali, whose brother, wife, and two children were on the flight, are desperately awaiting answers regarding the cause of the disaster. Expert opinions have begun to emerge, with seasoned aviation expert Mary Schiavo, a transportation specialist and lead attorney, suggesting that a computer error may have been responsible. Schiavo posits that a malfunction in the aircraft's computer system or code could have caused the engines to spool back and reduce thrust shortly after takeoff, drawing parallels to a similar past incident involving an All Nippon Airways (ANA) 787 flight. Online discussions among netizens have also leaned towards software or electrical issues as potential causes.

The aftermath of the crash saw immense forensic challenges. Forensic scientists have been rigorously analyzing hundreds of DNA samples to identify the victims. A forensic dentist highlighted that even a protected molar tooth can withstand extreme temperatures, aiding in identification despite the plane bursting into a fireball. So far, 260 deaths have been confirmed through DNA and police identification, with only one victim remaining unidentified. The tragedy also brought forth personal stories of both immense loss and miraculous escape. Rashmi Chauhan, an Indian man driving near the crash site, narrowly avoided death by making a swift U-turn after witnessing the explosion and having debris land on his car, a moment captured in a viral video. In Ahmedabad, the medical community, affected by the loss of their colleagues, has begun to move forward, symbolized by the reopening of a makeshift kitchen by medical interns. Meanwhile, Air India has committed to paying compensation to the families of the victims. Amidst the ongoing investigations and recovery efforts, earlier concerns about the general condition of some Air India aircraft, regarding issues like broken seats and dirty covers, had been raised by passengers, though it's unclear if these were related to the crash.