On June 12, 2025, Air India Flight AI 171, a Boeing 787‑8 Dreamliner, crashed just after takeoff from Ahmedabad en route to London. Eyewitnesses reported a sudden mayday call around 1:38 PM IST, moments before the aircraft plunged near the BJ Medical College campus .
👥 Occupants and Fatalities
Onboard: 242 individuals (230 passengers, 12 crew) .
Ground casualties: A number of students, staff, and residents in the crash area also perished—reports vary, with counts from 4 up to 33 on the ground .
Survivors: Only one individual—British citizen Vishwashkumar Ramesh—survived from the aircraft .
📊 Death Rate
Focusing on onboard occupants:
Deaths: 241 out of 242.
Fatality rate: Approximately 99.6% among those aboard.
When factoring in ground victims, total losses increase to around 274, making the overall fatality count even higher .
Why This Matters
This is the deadliest single-plane crash in India in decades, and marks the first fatal accident involving a Boeing 787‑8 Dreamliner .
Investigators are exploring multiple possible causes, including:
Configuration issues: Possible flap/gear mishandling .
Fuel contamination: Suggested by former NAL engineer Saligram Murlidhar .
Engine trouble or double failure: Discussed by other aviation experts .
📝 Bottom Line
With 241 of 242 aboard killed, the onboard death rate stands at an estimated 99.6%.
Including ground casualties, the death toll approaches 274, marking it one of the most devastating civil aviation disasters globally in recent memory.
The sole survivor highlights the severity and randomness of such tragedies—while aviation remains extremely safe statistically, when accidents like this occur, the human cost is profound.