On June 12, 2025 at 1:38 pm IST, Air India Flight AI171—a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner—departed Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad bound for London Gatwick. Approximately five minutes into the climb, the aircraft plunged into the Meghani Nagar residential area just outside the airport perimeter, igniting thick black smoke as multiple fire tenders and ambulances converged on the site apnews.comtheguardian.com.
Preliminary Flightradar24 data show AI171 reached roughly 625 ft above ground before entering a rapid descent at about –475 ft/min, striking near Forensic Cross Road theguardian.com. Of the 244 people aboard—232 passengers and 12 crew—casualty figures have not yet been released, pending Air India and DGCA confirmation apnews.com. This incident represents the first hull-loss of any Boeing 787 Dreamliner since its 2011 introduction ft.com. India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation has launched a full investigation, and Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu has sealed roads around the crash site and established a green corridor for medical evacuations as rescue efforts continue timesofindia.indiatimes.com ft.com.
