This document provides a detailed timeline of the tragic Air India flight AI171 crash in Ahmedabad, India, based on available reports as of June 14, 2025. The information is compiled from multiple reputable sources to ensure accuracy and comprehensiveness.
Timeline of Events
- June 12, 2025, 13:39 IST: Air India flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, takes off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad, bound for London Gatwick Airport. The flight carries 242 people, including 230 passengers (169 Indian, 53 British, 7 Portuguese, and 1 Canadian national) and 12 crew members, including 2 pilots. The aircraft, designed for long-haul flights, is heavily fueled, with a capacity for approximately 300 passengers (BBC News, NDTV).
- Approximately 13:40 IST: Within moments of takeoff, the pilots issue a MAYDAY call, indicating a critical emergency. Contact with air traffic control is lost shortly after (Times of India).
- Within 60 seconds of takeoff: The aircraft loses altitude and crashes into the Meghani area of Ahmedabad, approximately 5 km from the airport. The plane strikes the B.J. Medical College hostel mess, where over 100 students are gathered for lunch, triggering a massive explosion and fire due to the plane’s fuel load. The impact creates a towering plume of smoke visible from a distance (Reuters, The Hindu).
- Immediate Response: Emergency services, including fire engines, ambulances, city police, and six teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) from Gandhinagar and Vadodara, are swiftly mobilized to the crash site. Rescue operations begin immediately to extinguish the fire and search for survivors (Times of India).
- Rescue Operations: One survivor, Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a 40-year-old British national of Indian origin seated in 11A, is rescued by locals. He is found limping and is rushed to a hospital for treatment. Ramesh later tells India’s state broadcaster DD News, “I still cannot believe how I made it out alive” (BBC News, Hindustan Times).
- Casualties: Air India confirms that 241 of the 242 people on board perish in the crash. Additionally, at least eight people on the ground, including four medical students, are killed due to the impact on the hostel. Initial reports of a higher death toll (e.g., 294) are revised downward after accounting for double-counted body parts (Reuters, The Hindu).
- June 13, 2025: India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) recovers the flight data recorder (one of the aircraft’s black boxes) within 28 hours of the crash. This recovery is a significant step in the investigation, as the black box is expected to provide critical data on the flight’s altitude, speed, and cockpit communications (BBC News).
- June 14, 2025: DNA testing confirms the identities of six victims, allowing their bodies to be released to families. The investigation into the cause of the crash continues, with no preliminary findings released yet (The Hindu).
Additional Details
Passenger and Crew Composition
The flight carried a diverse group of passengers, including:
- 169 Indian nationals
- 53 British nationals
- 7 Portuguese nationals
- 1 Canadian national
- 12 crew members (including 2 pilots)
Among the passengers was former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, whose death was confirmed by BJP officials (Hindustan Times).
Impact on the Ground
The crash’s impact on the B.J. Medical College hostel mess amplified the tragedy, as the area was populated with students at the time. The explosion and fire caused significant destruction, complicating rescue efforts (The Hindu).
Official Responses
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences on X, stating, “The tragedy in Ahmedabad has stunned and saddened us. It is heartbreaking beyond words” (Times of India).
- President Droupadi Murmu called the crash a “heart-rending disaster” and offered prayers for the affected families (Times of India).
- Air India Chairman N Chandrasekaran announced Rs 1 crore compensation for each deceased passenger’s family (Times of India).
Investigation Status
The recovery of the flight data recorder is a critical development, but as of June 14, 2025, no official cause of the crash has been determined. The survivor’s account of hearing a loud noise before the crash may provide clues, pending further analysis of the black box data (Reuters).
Summary Table of Key Events
| Time/Date | Event |
|---|---|
| June 12, 2025, 13:39 IST | Flight AI171 takes off from Ahmedabad airport with 242 people. |
| ~13:40 IST | Pilots issue MAYDAY call, indicating an emergency. |
| Within 60 seconds | Plane crashes into Meghani area, hitting B.J. Medical College hostel. |
| Immediate aftermath | Emergency services deployed; massive fire and explosion reported. |
| Post-crash | Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, sole survivor, rescued and hospitalized. |
| June 13, 2025 | Flight data recorder recovered by AAIB. |
| June 14, 2025 | DNA testing confirms identities of six victims; investigation ongoing. |
Current Status
As of June 14, 2025, the investigation into the crash’s cause is ongoing, with the black box expected to yield critical insights. The tragedy has prompted widespread condolences and support for the affected families, with emergency services and authorities continuing to manage the aftermath.