Air India Ahmedabad Plane Crash: Black Box Recovered, 241 Feared Dead

Tragedy struck Gujarat on June 12, 2025, when an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner bound for London crashed just minutes after takeoff from Ahmedabad Airport. Out of the 242 people on board, 241 were confirmed dead, including passengers and crew. Only one person, Vishwaskumar Ramesh, survived the fatal crash.

According to official reports, the aircraft took off at 1:38 PM and crashed less than five minutes later into the B.J. Medical College hostel mess, just 5 kilometers from the airport. The crash site was filled with over 100 students who were present for lunch at the time. The collision caused a massive explosion, leading to a towering column of smoke visible from afar.

Black Box Recovered from Hostel Rooftop

In the latest development, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) confirmed that the black box of the Boeing 787-8 was recovered from the rooftop of the B.J. Medical College hostel mess building. This device is crucial for investigators as it contains flight data and cockpit voice recordings which can help determine the cause of the accident.

Mayday Signal and Fatal Explosion

Initial analysis reveals that the pilots had issued a ‘Mayday’ distress call shortly after takeoff, indicating a life-threatening emergency. However, they did not respond to follow-up communications from the air traffic control. According to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, rescue operations were severely hampered due to the burning of over 1.25 lakh litres of aviation fuel, which led to extremely high temperatures at the crash site.

Former Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani Among the Dead

One of the prominent victims of the crash was former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, who was on the flight to bring his wife and daughter back from London. His sudden demise has left the state and the nation in mourning. Several families, including that of Dr. Komi Vyas and her children, also perished in the incident.

The Sole Survivor: Vishwaskumar Ramesh

Seated in A11, Vishwaskumar Ramesh miraculously survived the crash and is currently being treated in hospital. Home Minister Amit Shah visited him and stated that he is the only known survivor of the crash.

As the nation grieves this devastating loss, investigations are ongoing to determine the exact technical or human failures that led to the Ahmedabad Air India crash. More updates will follow as the AAIB analyzes the recovered black box data.