Tragedy In Ahmedabad: Air India Dreamliner Crash Claims Over 290 Lives

By Noma Grant

In one of the most devastating aviation disasters in recent years, an Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed shortly after takeoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on Tuesday morning, killing more than 290 people on board and on the ground.

The wide-body aircraft, operating as Flight AI171 from Ahmedabad to London Heathrow, went down minutes after departure, crashing into a densely populated residential neighborhood on the outskirts of the city. Emergency response teams reported that all 271 passengers and crew members aboard the aircraft perished, along with at least 23 civilians on the ground.

A Flight That Never Made It Far

Witnesses say the plane took off normally around 9:20 a.m. local time before making a sharp bank to the left and losing altitude rapidly. Eyewitness video captured by nearby residents shows the aircraft descending in a near-vertical trajectory, trailing smoke before exploding on impact.

The crash ignited fires that raged for hours across several apartment blocks and small businesses. Authorities confirmed at least 50 people were injured in the neighborhood, with many sustaining severe burns or crush injuries as buildings collapsed. Several children were among the dead and wounded.

Search And Rescue Recovery Underway

Rescue workers, local police, and Indian Army engineers worked through the day to locate bodies and clear debris. Charred wreckage was strewn over a four-block radius, with fuselage sections embedded in concrete structures and blackened engines hanging from rebar and rooftops. Body recovery was hampered by high temperatures, unstable debris, and the risk of additional collapses.

So far, officials say that nearly 280 victims have been identified, with DNA testing underway for those whose remains were unrecognizable. A special crisis cell has been established at Ahmedabad airport for grieving families.

Questions About The Dreamliner's Safety

This tragedy marks the first fatal crash involving a Boeing 787 Dreamliner—a model previously touted for its safety record and modern engineering. The aircraft involved in the crash was just under seven years old and had undergone scheduled maintenance three weeks prior.

Preliminary information from air traffic control suggests the pilots reported a “critical systems failure” moments before the crash, but lost radio contact soon after. Both black boxes—the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder—were recovered by early evening and have been sent to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for analysis.

Experts say investigators will focus on possible engine failure, electrical malfunction, or structural fatigue. Boeing has issued a statement expressing sorrow and promising full cooperation with Indian authorities. Aviation regulators in several countries, including the U.S., U.K., and UAE, have requested safety checks on Dreamliner fleets in response.

National And Global Response

India’s Prime Minister has declared a national day of mourning, with flags at half-mast and prayers offered across the country. "This is a dark day for India. We stand with the families of those we lost," he said in a televised address.

International leaders have sent condolences, with Britain’s Foreign Office confirming that at least 38 of the victims were U.K. nationals. U.S. officials also confirmed multiple American citizens were on board. Memorials are being planned in London and Toronto, cities with significant Indian diaspora populations.

A History Repeating?

Though commercial airline safety has improved dramatically in the past two decades, Tuesday's crash serves as a grim reminder of the catastrophic potential of aviation disasters. India’s aviation sector, one of the world’s fastest-growing, has faced criticism in recent years for pilot fatigue, airspace congestion, and aging infrastructure.

This crash is expected to trigger sweeping investigations—not only into the cause, but into the entire regulatory framework that allowed such a catastrophe to occur.

What Comes Next

In the coming days, attention will turn to three key areas: technical findings from the black boxes, scrutiny of Air India’s maintenance records and flight protocols, and possible legal action from the families of victims. Compensation negotiations, airline liability, and manufacturer accountability are all expected to play out in public and legal arenas over the coming months.

For now, however, the country grieves.

Noma Grant is a freelance journalist and writer for Veritas Expositae

You can reach her at noma.grant@veritasexpositae.com