Mysterious crash: Air India flight AI171 with 260 victims - what really happened?

Mysterious crash: Air India flight AI171 with 260 victims - what really happened?

Ahmedabad, Indien - On June 12, 2025, a severe aircraft crash of the Air India flight AI171 in Ahmedabad, India, in which 260 people, including 19 people were killed. Only one passenger survived the tragic incident. The plane, a Boeing 787, crashed less than 40 seconds after starting a residential area. It rose to a height of 625 feet before the traffic data was lost, and the last moments of the flight are now part of an intensive examination.

The first investigative steps show that the Blackbox data indicate a manual interruption of the fuel supply after the start. The cockpit switches of both engines were deliberately set from "operation" to "switched off", which resulted in the total failure of the engines. Investigators look at the possibility of intentional action, be it by the pilots or a third person who may have been on the jumpseat. This is particularly worrying, since technical defects are not documented and unintentional acts could be excluded, thanks to the special safety locks on the cockpit switches that require targeted activity.

Investigations and cockpit analysis

The investigation is directed by Indian authorities and receives support from international experts, including representatives of Boeing and General Electric. The aim is to clarify the exact circumstances of the crash. The cockpit voice recorder plays a central role. The recording shows that one pilot interviewed the other about the “shutdown” of the engines, but remains unclear who was responsible. These records are crucial to reconstruct communication before and during the accident.

The two pilots, including the experienced captain with over 10,000 flight hours on large jets and the first officer with around 3,400 flight hours, have passed breath tests before flight. Nevertheless, there are now also technical questions in the room. Experts express concerns about the possibility that the fuel switches were also activated electronically at the same time, which increases the complexity of the case. When checking the fuel samples from the refueling tissues, the investigators received satisfactory results, and a mechanical malfunction was initially excluded.

context of aviation accidents

The tragedy by Air India is reminiscent of the general risks of aviation. Although the number and severity of the aircraft turrets have dropped in recent years, every incident remains a worrying event. In 2024 there were 268 fatalities worldwide through aircraft turrets, while such accidents claimed over 1,000 victims annually before the turn of the millennium. The accident rate in the commercial aviation is still low compared to other means of transport, but the crash of AI171 pays special attention. The last major catastrophes in aviation, such as the crash of Germanwing's flight 4U9525 in 2015, require a critical view of the security protocols and the reliability of aviation technology.

Overall, the crash of AI171 remains a topic of the utmost importance, which will hopefully lead to clarification of the background through the ongoing investigations. International specialist knowledge and technological support are needed to further improve the security in aviation and to avoid such tragedies in the future.