A video showing a number of “unusual things” that were “not working” on the aircraft prior to the tragedy was posted by a passenger who was on the inbound leg of the fateful Air India flight.
At 13:38 local time on Thursday, June 12, Air India Flight AI171 took off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad on its way to Gatwick Airport in London.
The plane’s transponder signal disappeared less than a minute after takeoff, when it had only risen to 625 feet.
Shortly after, the Boeing 787-8 crashed into a physicians’ hostel in Meghani Nagar, setting off a massive flame and explosion that engulfed surrounding structures and spewed dense smoke skyward.
Eyewitnesses described apocalyptic scenes. “We heard a huge explosion and rushed out of our homes,” said local resident Raju Prajapati, per the Telegraph. “There were thick plumes of black smoke rising into the sky. People were shouting and running in all directions.”
Of the 242 passengers, 169 were Indian, 53 were British, seven were Portuguese, one was Canadian, and eleven were children.
A passenger called Vishwash Kumar Ramesh is thought to have miraculously escaped the fatal jet accident, according to The Mirror.
The British man disclosed that he had “impact injuries” to his feet, eyes, and chest and that he was in seat 11A of the aircraft. Additionally, he clarified that “a loud noise” before the plane’s crash.
The 40-year-old, who has lived in London for 20 years and was in India for a few days to visit his family, said, “It all happened so quickly.”
He and his 45-year-old brother, Ajay Kumar Ramesh, were returning to the United Kingdom.
Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, the pilot, having flown more than 8,200 hours. According to reports, the aircraft made a mayday call before going silent, but air traffic control didn’t hear anything.
In a startling turn of events, a passenger who had been on the plane’s inbound flight expressed worries on social media about “unusual things” not functioning on the aeroplane just hours before the disaster.
The man, who goes by the handle @akku92, noted that the TV screens, lights, and air conditioner were all broken in a video that was uploaded on X.
“AC’s still not working. It’s very hot today,” he says in the clip while visibly sweating. “It’s Dreamliner 787,” he adds, panning the camera to show himself.
He later remarks, “Nothing’s working. I don’t know why I booked this flight today,” noting that the aircraft had been stationary on the tarmac for over 15 minutes with no update from the crew.
Whether the passenger’s stated technical problems are connected to the deadly collision is still unknown.
In its fourteen years of operation, this is the first Boeing 787 Dreamliner crash. Boeing has not yet responded to criticism on safety issues with other aircraft.
In a statement, Air India confirmed the incident and advised families to call a special hotline.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on X: “The tragedy in Ahmedabad has stunned and saddened us. It is heartbreaking beyond words. In this sad hour, my thoughts are with everyone affected by it.”
UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer echoed those sentiments: “The scenes emerging of a London-bound plane carrying many British nationals crashing in the Indian city of Ahmedabad are devastating. My thoughts are with the passengers and their families at this deeply distressing time.”
All flights leaving Ahmedabad’s airport have been halted while rescue and recovery efforts continue in the wake of the tragedy.
