The nation is in deep mourning following the tragic Air India Flight AI171 crash in Ahmedabad on Thursday, June 12, 2025. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, en route to London Gatwick Airport, crashed shortly after takeoff, claiming the lives of 241 of the 242 passengers and crew on board. The disaster has not only triggered widespread grief but has also evoked painful memories of past aviation tragedies, particularly the 1990 Indian Airlines Flight 605 crash in Bengaluru.
As news of the Air India crash spread, Bengaluru residents couldn't help but recall the fateful day of February 14, 1990. On that day, Indian Airlines Flight 605, an Airbus A320, crashed while attempting to land at Bengaluru Airport, resulting in the deaths of 92 of the 146 people on board. The flight, originating from Mumbai, met with disaster due to pilot error during its approach. The aircraft overshot the runway and crashed onto a golf course. The incident raised serious questions about the A320's cockpit design and the preparedness of pilots to handle the aircraft.
The similarities between the two tragedies are striking. Both involved passenger planes crashing shortly after takeoff or landing, causing significant loss of life. The 1990 Bengaluru crash was attributed to pilot error, while the cause of the recent Ahmedabad crash is still under investigation. However, the impact on the collective psyche remains the same.
The Ahmedabad crash has left families shattered and communities in mourning. Among the victims were 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese nationals, and one Canadian national. A number of local people on the ground, including medical students, also lost their lives when the plane crashed into a doctors' hostel near the airport. Vishwashkumar Ramesh, a British national, was the sole survivor of the crash and is currently receiving treatment in a hospital.
The disaster has prompted an outpouring of grief and solidarity from across the world. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the crash site and met with the injured survivor in the hospital. Grieving families have been gathering at Ahmedabad's Civil Hospital to identify the bodies of their loved ones. The government has launched a thorough investigation into the cause of the crash to determine what went wrong and prevent similar incidents in the future.
The aviation sector in India has seen a number of tragic incidents over the years. In addition to the 1990 Bengaluru crash, the Charkhi Dadri mid-air collision in 1996 remains one of the deadliest aviation disasters in Indian history. The collision, which involved a Saudi Arabian Airlines Boeing 747 and a Kazakhstan Airlines Ilyushin Il-76, resulted in the deaths of all 349 people on board both aircraft. Other notable incidents include the Air India Flight 403 crash in 1982 and the Alliance Air Flight 7412 crash in 1998.
As the investigation into the Ahmedabad crash continues, the nation grapples with the immense loss and the haunting memories of past tragedies. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the importance of aviation safety and the need for continuous improvement in safety protocols and pilot training. The hope is that the lessons learned from this tragedy will help prevent similar disasters in the future and ensure the safety of air travel for all.
