📅 Incident Overview
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When: June 12, 2025, at approximately 13:38 IST
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Where: Shortly after lift-off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, Ahmedabad; crashed into a hostel of B.J. Medical College in Meghani Nagar, ~1 km from runway’s end Aircraft: Boeing 787‑8 Dreamliner, registration VT‑ANB (Flight AI171)
🧍 People on Board & Casualties
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Occupants: 230 passengers, 12 crew (2 pilots + 10 cabin crew)
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Nationalities: 169 Indians, 53 Brits, 7 Portuguese, 1 Canadian
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Fatalities: 241 onboard, 28+ on the ground (including med‑students) — at least 269 total lives lost
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Survivors: Only one survivor, a British‑Indian passenger, Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, sustained injuries but escaped from the wreckage
🛫 Crash Sequence & Initial Findings
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Surveillance video shows the Dreamliner climbed to ~190 m, then began a controlled descent about 30 sec after liftoff; landing gear remained down
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Mayday distress call noted “no thrust”; plane lost communication shortly after
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The aircraft struck into a hostel, triggering a major fireball and smoke plume seen kilometers away
👨✈️ Crew Credentials
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Captain Sumeet Sabharwal: 8,200 flight hours
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First Officer Clive Kundar: 1,100 hours; both trained on long‑haul flights
🔍 Investigation & Recovered Evidence
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Black Boxes: The Flight Data Recorder (FDR) and Cockpit Voice Recorder were recovered within ~28 hours
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Regulatory Response: DGCA mandated safety checks on all 787-8/-9 Dreamliners within two weeks. NTSB, FAA, Boeing, GE, and UK teams are involved .
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Preliminary Theories: Suggested factors include improper flap/gear configuration, full fuel weight, inability to climb; no evidence of bird strike or sabotage yet
💔 Human Impact
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Families of victims include students returning from weddings or Eid celebrations, and recent visa lottery winners
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Air India and parent Tata Group offered ₹1 crore (~US $116,000) per fatality and are covering medical costs for injured
🌍 Official Reactions
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Indian PM Modi, British PM Starmer, Google CEO Sundar Pichai, US Sec Def Rubio, and others expressed condolences
