NEW DELHI: One year has passed since Air India Flight AI171 crashed moments after take-off from Ahmedabad, claiming 260 lives and leaving behind hundreds of grieving families still searching for answers. The wreckage has long been cleared. Life around the crash site has gradually returned to routine. But for many families, June 12, 2025 remains frozen in time.
Many wait for answers with a pain almost as acute as the loss itself: What caused the plane to fall? Could it have been prevented? Will the final investigation bring closure? As the nation marks the first anniversary of the Ahmedabad Air India crash, the tragedy remains far more than an aviation disaster. It is a story of dreams cut short, families learning to live with unimaginable loss and questions that continue to linger long after the wreckage was cleared.
Impact on Air India Employees
The impact of AI171 extended far beyond the passengers and their families. Several Air India employees who worked alongside the crew members on board say they too struggled with the aftermath of the disaster. An airline staffer, speaking on condition of anonymity, told TOI that the tragedy left many employees traumatised and some resigned within months of the crash. "The trauma of the Air India crash affected us as well. Many crew members resigned within three to four months. We were all dealing with trauma and were not even provided with mental health support," the employee said.
Families Demand Accountability
For Parth Patel, who lost his mother Hemangini, uncle Rajnikant and aunt Divya in the disaster, the anniversary is a reminder not only of loss but also of the questions that continue to linger. "Everyone is calling this a tragedy. That is wrong. It was a massive systemic failure. A year has passed and we still do not have a final report or any real accountability. The promises of justice remain only words on paper," Patel told TOI.
Across India, countless families carry similar stories of interrupted futures, unfinished conversations and loved ones whose absence is felt in the smallest moments of everyday life.
The Crash Sequence
At Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, Air India flight 171 prepared for a routine journey to London Gatwick. At 1:38pm the Boeing 787 lifted off. Less than a minute later, it was gone. The Dreamliner crashed into the BJ Medical College hostel complex in Meghaninagar moments after takeoff, creating one of India's worst aviation disasters. For residents living near the airport, the first sign was a massive roar, then thick smoke. "When we went to the crash site, dead bodies and debris were scattered all over," an eyewitness recalled. Another described chaos — a loud blast, choking smoke, fire and confusion.
Within minutes, images of thick black smoke rising above Ahmedabad began flashing on television screens and phones across the country. Rescue teams converged as families scrambled for news. The aircraft carried 242 people; the crash also killed 19 on the ground. By evening, the scale of the disaster had become horrifyingly clear.
The Final 32 Seconds
Captain Sumeet Sabharwal and First Officer Clive Kunder performed routine checks as the flight took off. Just three seconds into the flight, the fuel control switches for both engines transitioned from "RUN" to "CUTOFF", just a second apart. Fuel supply to both engines was interrupted, causing engine power to drop. According to the preliminary report by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), one pilot asked, "Why did you cut off?" to which the other replied, "I didn't."
Within seconds, the Ram Air Turbine (RAT) deployed automatically. The pilots quickly moved the fuel switches back to RUN, but it was too late. At 1:39:05pm, the pilots transmitted a final distress call: "MAYDAY, MAYDAY, MAYDAY." Six seconds later, the aircraft crashed less than two kilometres from the airport. At 1:39:11pm, flight data stopped recording.
The preliminary report stopped short of assigning blame. It referred to a 2018 US FAA advisory about possible disengagement of the locking feature on fuel control switches. Air India had not carried out the suggested inspections as the advisory was not mandatory. Investigators also noted that the throttle control module had been replaced in 2019 and 2023, though no previously reported defects were found.
The Lives Lost
The aircraft carried 242 people: 230 passengers, two pilots and 10 cabin crew. Behind every seat number was a story. Seat 35J: British national Ramesh Patel had travelled to India for a short visit. "He came here for nine days ... he just wanted to eat some fruits … he did not come back home," his daughter Priti Pandya said. Seat 27A: Sanket Goswami from Mehsana was travelling to London to pursue higher education. Seat 2D: Gujarat former chief minister Vijay Rupani was going to London to meet his daughter. Seat 25G: Chandu Baguane, a labourer in London, was returning after completing final rituals with his family.
The Survivor's Story
Among the 242 passengers and crew was 40-year-old Viswashkumar Ramesh, seated in 11A, next to an emergency exit. Videos of Ramesh stumbling away from the wreckage became defining visuals. "At first, I thought I was dead," Ramesh recalled. "Later, I realised I was still alive and saw an opening in the fuselage near my seat. I managed to unbuckle myself. I used my leg to push through that opening and crawled out." But survival came with unbearable loss: his younger brother, Ajaykumar Ramesh, seated in 11J, did not survive. Days later, Viswash carried his brother's coffin. "He is not relieved to have survived. He feels more pain over his brother's death," a relative said. A year later, Viswash continues to battle physical pain, financial hardship and psychological scars. "For me, the hardest thing is knowing that my brother isn’t here," he told TOI.
Lives Claimed on Ground
Some victims never bought a ticket. The plane tore through the hostel complex of BJ Medical College, killing 19 on the ground — students, doctors, hospital staff and families. Some were having lunch; others were studying or resting. The crash pushed the overall death toll to 260.
What Families Still Ask For
Devarsh Patel, who lost both parents, said, "We want closure, and the data from the black box must be given to the relatives so that we can learn about the reason for the crash. Even after a year, the agencies have failed to do so." Anil Vyas, who lost his daughter Komi, demanded full transparency. David Christian, who lost his son and daughter-in-law, said, "We deserve to know the cause of the crash." Edwin Pateliya, who lost his daughter, said the delay itself has become part of the trauma. Mohammad Shethwala, who lost his wife and two-year-old daughter, said, "The one-year anniversary is very difficult."
Parth Patel, who lost three family members, said accountability cannot end with payouts. "Everybody thinks compensation has been offered and the matter is finished. It is not. A family’s grief cannot be reduced to a corporate line item." Rajesh Avaiya said support must go beyond formal payments.
Belongings Still Missing
Several families have not received personal belongings. Devarsh Patel said, "We have not received the mobile phones of my parents despite writing multiple emails. The phones contain private information." Others report inconsistencies in recovery. Avaiya said, "We identified my brother’s phone, but the airline asked for proof of purchase. Even after sending it, there is no response." In April, families jointly wrote to authorities demanding release of cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder information. Air India said interim compensation of Rs 25 lakh has been paid to 96% of families, and ex gratia payments of Rs 1 crore completed for 91%. Over 22,000 personal items were recovered, with most returned, but some remain pending.
Where the Probe Stands
Under international aviation rules, accident investigations are expected to be completed within a year. However, authorities are yet to release the final report. According to Bloomberg, India's AAIB is expected to miss that deadline as crucial technical examinations, including analysis of the aircraft's engines in the US, are still underway. Instead, investigators are expected to issue a status update. The investigation involves the US NTSB, Boeing and GE Aerospace. The preliminary report reconstructed the final moments but did not establish why the switches moved. Investigators are also examining the RAT deployment, flight recorders, why the Emergency Locator Transmitter did not activate, and any maintenance-related issues.
One year after AI171 crashed, the wreckage has long been cleared. But for many families, the search for truth remains unfinished.
