On June 12, 2025, Air India Flight AI171 crashed shortly after takeoff in Ahmedabad, killing over 240 people and devastating families across India, the UK, Portugal, and Canada. While investigators search for technical answers, former crew members are speaking out, pointing to long-standing mechanical issues with the aircraft and systemic failures within the airline. With just one survivor and increasing global scrutiny, this crash is shaping into one of the most controversial aviation disasters of the decade.
Source: www.ndtv.com
A Catastrophe Minutes After Takeoff
Air India Flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, was en route to London Gatwick from Ahmedabad when it issued a Mayday call moments after takeoff. The aircraft, carrying 242 people, including 14 crew and 11 children, reached only 625 feet before losing power and plummeting into a newly completed medical hostel in a crowded part of the city. The result: one of the deadliest crashes involving a Dreamliner in history.
Eyewitnesses described a massive explosion, thick black smoke, and the tail of the aircraft protruding from the building. Rescue crews labored for hours to find survivors in the rubble. Only one passenger, a British national, was pulled from the wreckage alive.
A Warning Ignored?
The crash has left aviation experts and the public asking the same question: how could this happen?
The most alarming voice yet comes from a former Air India crew member:
“Hey! I'm an ex Air India crew and this was a frequent aircraft that I'd fly. This aircraft has had issues for YEARS. Literally years. The crew, pilots, engineers, literally everyone has always mentioned about it in the log book. But the company didn't have a spare Dreamliner for their most precious Gatwick sector. Which is why we were always, made to fly this aircraft. I've myself had an engine failure on this aircraft. Thankfully we landed back safely. It was a similar case where we took off and immediately landed back without being in air for even 30 mins.
Here, no staff but solely the company is at fault. But the company won't let any staff talk about it on a public channel. They'd rather blame the staff and not take accountability.”
— @VivekPatel-sh4cw, Former Air India Cabin Crew
The comment, posted publicly within hours of the crash, has ignited a firestorm online. It suggests that the aircraft had a known history of mechanical issues, which were ignored or downplayed by Air India’s management. Pilots, engineers, and cabin crew had allegedly documented the problems in the aircraft’s logbook for years.
Source: sg.news.yahoo.com
The Human Toll
This crash has claimed the lives of nearly every passenger and crew member aboard, including:
- 169 Indian nationals
- 53 British citizens
- 7 Portuguese
- 1 Canadian
- 8 people on the ground, including four young medical students
Communities around the globe are grieving. The sole survivor, currently hospitalized, has begun recounting the harrowing final moments. He reported hearing a loud noise shortly after takeoff and feeling the aircraft shudder as it failed to gain altitude.
Investigation and Industry Fallout
The aircraft involved was a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, widely regarded as one of the safest and most technologically advanced planes in service. This was the first fatal crash involving a Dreamliner since its launch in 2011.
Investigators are now examining:
- Possible flap or engine failure
- Bird strike scenarios
- Fuel contamination
- Maintenance logs and mechanical history
- Flight data and cockpit voice recordings
International teams from Boeing, GE Aerospace, and multiple civil aviation authorities are involved in the investigation. One of the black boxes has been recovered and is currently undergoing analysis.
Meanwhile, Boeing’s stock has dropped sharply since the crash, and broader aviation markets are feeling the ripple effects.
A Tarnished Legacy for Air India
Air India, recently brought back under Tata Group’s control, has struggled for years with service quality, maintenance backlogs, and operational inefficiencies. While many hoped the airline’s privatization would bring a fresh chapter, this tragedy may be remembered as a defining setback.
Government officials from India, the UK, and other affected nations have issued statements of condolence. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the crash “heartbreaking beyond words.” UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer labeled the event “devastating.”
Source: www.firstpost.com
Accountability or Cover-Up?
The coming weeks will determine whether this disaster is treated as a tragedy or a turning point. If claims from former crew like @VivekPatel-sh4cw are substantiated, questions of criminal negligence and systemic corporate failure may surface.
International eyes are now on Air India, Tata Group, and India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). Public trust in the airline, and perhaps even in the Dreamliner model, is on the line.
While families bury their loved ones and survivors begin the long road to healing, one thing is certain: the full truth must come out. Because in aviation, silence and neglect are never just mistakes, they’re fatal and cause permanent damage.