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.

Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, who was in command of the aircraft, issued a desperate Mayday call—”Mayday, Mayday, Mayday”—the most critical distress signal in aviation, moments before contact with Air Traffic Control was lost. According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), no further communication followed. At approximately 1:39 p.m. IST, the aircraft plummeted into the densely populated Meghani Nagar neighborhood, igniting a massive fire and sending columns of thick smoke into the air.

Emergency responders raced to the scene, but the impact and ensuing fire left no survivors. The crash site, a tragic tableau of twisted metal and charred wreckage, included a nearby building pierced by the aircraft’s tail cone. Firefighters battled flames fueled by a full tank of jet fuel, while water was also sprayed on adjacent multistory structures to prevent the fire from spreading.

The flight carried a diverse mix of nationalities, including 169 Indian nationals, 53 British citizens, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian. Tragically, the aircraft struck the dining hall of a local medical college, killing at least five students on the ground and injuring 50 others, some critically. Relief operations were launched immediately, supported by Indian Army teams helping clear debris and assist survivors.