Air India Crash Explained: Insurance, Law & Plane Safety
On 12th June 2025, Air India Flight AI171 from Ahmedabad to London crashed minutes after takeoff, killing 241 of the 242 people onboard. Moments before the crash, the pilot issued a “Mayday” distress
On 12th June 2025, Air India Flight AI?171—a Boeing?787-8 Dreamliner—crashed just minutes after takeoff from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, bound for London Gatwick. Of the 242 people onboard, 241 were killed, making it India’s worst air disaster in recent memory. The sole survivor was 40-year-old British-Indian Vishwash?Kumar Ramesh.
The crash site at B.J. Medical College doctors’ hostel was engulfed in flames and thick black smoke. Virtually impossible to rescue anyone alive due to a “huge amount of fuel” and fire at 1.25 lakh litres, confirmed Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who visited the site and survivor in hospital. Prime Minister Modi and Air India CEO Campbell Wilson also visited. Federal agencies and a high-level inquiry led by Minister Ram Mohan Naidu have been formed to investigate.
Victims included former Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani, a doctor’s family with young children, a newlywed traveling to join her husband, and a British couple on a wellness retreat. Many stories—like a farewell selfie, a missed flight escape, and emotional farewells—have surfaced, revealing the human toll of the tragedy.
Air India, owned by the Tata Group, announced ?1 crore compensation to each family, plus medical cost coverage. Under the Montreal Convention, it must pay 151,880?SDRs (~?1.5–1.8 crore) per deceased passenger, totaling over ?377 crore in liabilities. Compensation to crew and extra damages could push the total past ?412 crore.
Preliminary data shows the aircraft climbed roughly 160?m at 322?km/h before stalling and crashing near the packed hostel. A “Mayday” distress call was made at 1:38–1:39 p.m., but no further communication followed. Aviation experts suggest possible causes: bird strike, engine thrust loss, or mechanical issues.
Concerns now swirl around the Boeing Dreamliner safety record, with passenger reports of “unusual signs” before the crash. Meanwhile, the aircraft and its millions?dollar insurance are under scrutiny. Updates will follow on ISH?News.
