A hopeful journey turned into an unimaginable tragedy on June 12, 2025, when Air India Flight 171, bound for London Gatwick from Ahmedabad, India, crashed just moments after takeoff. This devastating incident claimed the lives of at least 260 people, including nearly all 242 passengers and crew on board, and some on the ground where the Boeing 787 Dreamliner plummeted.
Among the heartbreaking stories emerging from the wreckage is that of the Vyas-Joshi family. Dr. Komi Vyas, a doctor from Udaipur, had just quit her job to join her husband, Dr. Prateek Joshi, in London with their three young children.
Their final moments, captured in a poignant selfie on the plane, were meant to celebrate "new beginnings." Tragically, Dr. Joshi, Dr. Vyas, their five-year-old twin sons Nakul and Pradyut, and their eight-year-old daughter Miraya, are among the confirmed fatalities. Many family members had gone to see them off, making the loss even more profound for their relatives.
The aircraft, which took off around 1:40 PM local time (8:10 AM BST), crashed in the densely populated Meghani area of Ahmedabad.
Terrifying CCTV footage shows the Dreamliner accelerating down the runway, gaining a little altitude, and then abruptly losing control, descending with a high nose angle and landing gear still deployed before exploding into a massive fireball upon impact.
Miraculously, one British father, Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, 40, survived the crash. Seated in seat 11A, he recounted hearing a loud noise just thirty seconds after takeoff before everything happened quickly. He woke up amidst bodies and wreckage, managed to run, and was then helped into an ambulance. His brother, who was also on the flight, did not survive.
Investigations into the cause of the crash are underway, with India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau leading the efforts. Initial theories suggest the plane may have suddenly lost power at a critical phase of flight. Aviation experts have pointed to several possibilities, including a rapid change in wind leading to an engine stall, a bird strike affecting both engines, engine performance issues, excessive aircraft weight, or an incorrect trim or flap configuration. Some have observed that the landing gear appeared to remain down longer than usual and questioned if the flaps were set correctly for takeoff.
While the Boeing 787 Dreamliner is a relatively new aircraft with a good safety record, the low altitude (only reaching 625 feet) and high speed at the final moment suggest a steep nose-down trajectory or a stall event shortly after takeoff. The plane also sent a mayday call just before the tragedy. Despite hot temperatures in Ahmedabad, weather conditions at the time of departure were otherwise good, ruling out turbulence as a factor. The black box will be crucial in determining the exact cause of this devastating incident.
