A passenger who flew on the inbound leg of the ill-fated Air India flight shared a video revealing several “unusual things” that reportedly “weren’t working” on the aircraft prior to the crash.
An Air India passenger shared footage drawing attention to multiple issues on the plane before the fatal incident.
On Thursday, June 12, Air India Flight AI171 departed from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at 13:38 local time, bound for London’s Gatwick Airport.
Less than a minute after takeoff, the aircraft’s transponder signal disappeared at just 625 feet of altitude.
Moments later, the Boeing 787-8 crashed into a doctors’ hostel in the Meghani Nagar area, triggering a massive explosion and fireball. Nearby buildings were engulfed, and thick black smoke filled the sky.
Eyewitnesses described scenes of chaos and horror. “We heard a huge explosion and rushed out of our homes,” said local resident Raju Prajapati, as reported by The Telegraph. “There were thick plumes of black smoke rising into the sky. People were shouting and running in all directions.”
The aircraft was carrying 242 people, including 169 Indian nationals, 53 British citizens, seven Portuguese nationals, one Canadian, and 11 children.
According to The Mirror, a passenger named Vishwash Kumar Ramesh is believed to have miraculously survived the crash.
Ramesh, a British citizen seated in 11A, reported suffering “impact injuries” to his chest, eyes, and feet. He described hearing “a loud noise” moments before the plane went down.
The 40-year-old, who has lived in London for two decades, was returning to the UK after a brief trip to visit family in India. He was traveling with his 45-year-old brother, Ajay Kumar Ramesh.
A view of the crash site following the Air India disaster.
The aircraft was piloted by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, who had logged over 8,200 flight hours. Reports indicate that a mayday call was issued before the aircraft lost communication, but no further messages were received by air traffic control.
In a chilling twist, hours before the crash, a passenger from the plane’s inbound flight posted a video on social media detailing several technical problems he experienced during the journey.
In a video posted to X by the user @akku92, he highlighted that the air conditioning, cabin lights, and entertainment screens were all malfunctioning.
“AC’s still not working. It’s very hot today,” he says in the video while visibly sweating. “It’s a Dreamliner 787,” he adds, turning the camera to show himself.
Later in the clip, he remarks: “Nothing’s working. I don’t know why I booked this flight today,” noting that the aircraft had been idle on the tarmac for more than 15 minutes without any communication from the crew.
It remains unclear whether the issues described in the video were connected to the subsequent crash.
I was in the same damn flight 2 hours before it took off from AMD. I came in this from DEL-AMD. Noticed unusual things in the place.Made a video to tweet to @airindia i would want to give more details. Please contact me. @flyingbeast320 @aajtak @ndtv @Boeing_In #planecrash #AI171 pic.twitter.com/TymtFSFqJo
— Akash Vatsa (@akku92) June 12, 2025
This tragedy marks the first crash of a Boeing 787 Dreamliner since the aircraft entered service 14 years ago. Boeing, which is already facing scrutiny over safety concerns with other models, has yet to release an official statement.
Air India has confirmed the incident and urged families of passengers to contact a dedicated hotline for support.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared his condolences on X, writing: “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 also expressed his sympathy: “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.”
In the aftermath of the crash, all outbound flights from Ahmedabad’s airport have been suspended as rescue and recovery efforts continue.
Source: vt.co