Update: Miraculously, Ramesh Vishwaskumar reportedly survived the crash and walked away from the scene!
https://twitter.com/Breaking911/status/1933167026207694974
He was apparently seated in the economy bulkhead window seat 11A, which is right next to a door:
Chilling video of the full takeoff roll and crash, which occur in less than 60 seconds, has surfaced as well. Several pilots on social media are commenting that the flaps don’t appear properly set for takeoff, which would point to pilot error as a potential reason for the crash, though we’ll have to wait for an investigation to learn more:
#BREAKING – New video from surveillance cameras shows the entire flight of #AI171, including the takeoff roll. #Ahmedabad #AirIndia #AirIndiaCrash pic.twitter.com/eNtXt00uDh
— PoliticalPilot (@PilotPoli) June 12, 2025
Our hearts and prayers go out to those affected by the crash of Air India flight 171, which was schedule to fly from Ahmedabad, India to London Gatwick. The flight was operated by a 787-8 Dreamliner and crashed soon after takeoff. It only made it to 625 feet in altitude, and the pilot made a mayday call before the plane lost power and crashed. It was a clear day with no reported adverse weather.
The crash video is terrifying:
LIVE VIDEO
Flight AI171, operating Ahmedabad-London Gatwick, was involved in an incident today#Ahmedabadplanecrash #london #planecrash #Ahmedabad #AirIndia pic.twitter.com/XFKVYVPf5k
— Vijaykumar Desai (@KumarVijayDesai) June 12, 2025
There were 242 passengers and crew aboard, including 181 from India, 53 from the UK, 7 from Portugal, and 1 from Canada. It appears unlikely that anyone survived, and there are also injuries and fatalities on the ground as a dining room in a medical college campus was hit by the plane.
This is the first ever fatal incident or crash with the Boeing Dreamliner, which launched some 14 years ago. Boeing’s 737MAX narrowbody planes have been involved in several incidents, but the Dreamliner is considered an extremely safe plane. There won’t be a worldwide grounding of the fleet as there was with the 737MAX. Nevertheless, this will cause more pressure and fresh scrutiny for the troubled planemaker.
We’ll have to wait for the investigation to learn if there was a pilot error, a bird strike, a mechanical failure, terrorism, or another reason for the crash.
The previous Air India fatal crash was Air India Express flight 1344 from Dubai to Kozhikode, India, which crashed in August 2020 after skidding off the runway, killing 19 passengers and both pilots.
What do you make of this developing situation?
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32 Comments On "[One Survivor From Crash, Video From Full Flight Published; Potential Cause?] Tragic: In First, Boeing Dreamliner Suffers Fatal Accident, Over 200 Dead In Air India Crash"
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No flaps?
Potential pilot error is certainly going to be investigated.
Doesn’t seem likely to me. The plane likely wouldn’t have made it that high, and even if it did, the lack of flaps would cause an aerodynamic stall and the decent would have been much more sudden and shaky.
The video circulating was taken a few minutes after takeoff. It’s possible that they couldn’t gain altitude for whichever reason (apparently they used a short runway – not enough thrust)
In any case they needed speed, to which I assume the pilot pushed the nose down and selected flaps 0 to gain speed and momentum. But it was too late.
You are right, I just saw the video from airport CCTV. Aircraft configuration was not setup correctly.
It’s hard to tell, but I would agree it looks like the flaps are up. He barely gets out of ground effect (a cushion of air between the wings and the ground about 1 wingspan high) and then starts sinking.
Optics are not ganna be great for Boeing regardless.
Especially right before the biggest air shows of the year
Bird strike or terrorism wouldn’t affect Boeing’s optics too terribly.
Obviously it’s too early to speculate as to a cause, but you can hear a jet engine running, the aircraft is straight and level with a nose-up attitude and sinking. Weather was hot over 100 degrees and that number of people is basically a full load of passengers. Not enough power to climb out, the question will be why?
So sad 🙁
The video is startling. Looks like the plane simply lost power to both engines immediately following take off and simply glided down.
I imagine that there is video from the airport which would show if it was a bird strike. The pilots mayday call might also be helpful, although it might just say that they lost power.
Maybe its some sort of fuel delivery or contamination issue?
There is a video of one of the engines landed on a rooftop intact. Which ads to the odds that there was some fuel delivery issue and the engines did not have sufficient fuel.
To avoid damaging the fuselage, pylons holding the engines are specifically designed to break off on impact.
Another point I didn’t see mentioned anywhere, it appears the plane didn’t use the full length of the runway for it’s takeoff roll, this is sometimes allowed for narrow bodies but rarely for wide body aircraft.
So sad.
On another note, when Dansdeals is doing a so many news articles (Elal being sued, Turkish airlines blocking Star Alliance for flights to Israel, and this story) in a 24 hour period, you know things ain’t right in the world of travel.
This is devastating. Thank you Dan for covering.
Unbelievable miracle: British national Viswashkumar Ramesh is the sole survivor in the air India plane crash:
“Just 30 seconds after takeoff, there was a loud blast and then we crashed. It all happened so fast. When I came to, I was surrounded by bodies,” he said.
A) Check if any important Indians were on board
B) Then take a look at Pakistan
If he is correct this could reignite the war that was just going on there.
report he was sitting in 11A and he excaped from exit door
I feel like that doesnt make sense, if the plane exploded what shaychus to an exit door?
one surviver!!
Looks like he didn’t have the flaps extend (from the take off video)
https://x.com/PilotPoli/status/1933167441255051769
If the plane lost power during the roll, then possible the flap mechanism failed.
My heart just dropped. I was on United’s 787 twice this week and sat in 11A both times..
My son, an avid simulator pilot, who spends much of his time flying airliners , also immediately noticed the flaps.
Pls explain flaps to entry level. All about it . Tu
Why are there so many Airplane crashes this year???? D.C Korea, India etc etc etc…
Hashem Yerachem
Someone survived that crash? Reminds me of that movie Unbreakable.
Exactly what I said. Unbelievable.
There are a handful of sole survivors from commercial plane crashes. It can be a pretty difficult reality to have to live with.
(Although living with chassidus would make it easier)
The RAT came down, it was double engine failure, not flaps, per new analysis.
https://youtu.be/8XYO-mj1ugg