Sabotage or System Failure? Air India Probes Deadly AI-171 Crash That Killed 274

On June 12, 2025, Air India Flight AI-171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner (VT-ANB), crashed seconds after takeoff from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, en route to London Gatwick. At 13:38 IST, the aircraft, carrying 230 passengers and 12 crew, issued a mayday call, “No thrust, mayday, mayday”, before plunging into B.J. Medical College in Meghaninagar at 13:39, killing 241 onboard and 34 on the ground, with one survivor, British national Vishwashkumar Ramesh. The wreckage spanned 200 meters, sparking multiple explosions due to nearly 100 tonnes of fuel. This marked the first fatal crash of a Boeing 787 since its 2011 debut and India’s deadliest aviation disaster since 1996.

By June 13, India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) ruled out bird strikes and center-of-gravity issues, deeming pilot error and dual-engine failure unlikely. The DGCA ordered inspections of Air India’s 33 Boeing 787s, with 26 cleared by June 18. The first Enhanced Airborne Flight Recorder (EAFR), combining flight data and cockpit voice functions, was recovered from a hostel rooftop, followed by the second on June 16. A digital video recorder with external and cabin footage was also retrieved. Both EAFRs, despite fire damage, were sent to Delhi’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) lab on June 24, with data successfully downloaded by June 25 alongside U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) experts.

On June 29, Civil Aviation Minister Murlidhar Mohol told NDTV, “It has never happened that both engines shut down together,” emphasizing a multi-angle probe including sabotage, mechanical failure, and fuel issues. He dismissed sending the black boxes abroad, stating, “It is in AAIB’s custody and there is no need to send it outside. We will do the entire investigation... Once the report comes, we will be able to ascertain if it was an engine problem or fuel supply issue or why both the engines had stopped functioning.” The AAIB, with UK and U.S. support, is reviewing a 2020 Titan Airways A321 fuel contamination case as a precedent. A preliminary report, due by July 12 under ICAO Annex 13, will detail flight data, pilot inputs, and weather, but not a definitive cause. “The decoding of this black box is going to give in-depth insight into what would have actually happened,” Mohol said.

Aviation expert Peter Goelz noted, “You can tell from the damage whether the engines were generating power at impact, turbines fracture differently when spinning at high speed.” Theories include fuel contamination, flap misconfiguration, or sabotage, with the ram air turbine’s activation suggesting a power loss. The investigation, facing criticism for delays, accepted an ICAO observer to ensure transparency. With 274 total deaths, including former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, the probe continues to unravel this “one in a billion” tragedy.