A devastating aviation disaster unfolded on June 12, 2025, in Ahmedabad, India, as Air India Flight AI-171 crashed shortly after takeoff, killing all 242 passengers and crew aboard. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner was bound for London Gatwick when it encountered catastrophic issues just minutes after leaving the runway.
Data from Flightradar24 showed that the aircraft was stationary at 1:30 p.m., began taxiing by 1:34 p.m., and took off at 1:38 p.m., reaching an altitude of only 625 feet before disappearing from radar.
World leaders reacted with shock and sympathy. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the tragedy “heartbreaking beyond words,” while British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and King Charles III also extended their deepest condolences. British Minister Lucy Powell addressed Parliament, assuring that both the U.K. and Indian governments would support affected families.
The incident drew grim parallels to earlier Indian aviation tragedies, including the 2020 crash in Kerala that claimed 21 lives and the 1996 midair collision over Haryana that killed 349 people.
