The Air India plane that crashed last week had one new engine installed in March this year, while the other was last serviced in 2023 and wasn’t due for maintenance until December, according to the airline’s chairperson N Chandrasekaran.
India will send the black box from the crashed Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner to the US for analysis after it sustained “heavy damage”, The Economic Times has reported, citing an internal source.
More than 200 victims of the 12 June crash have been identified through DNA testing, Indian authorities said yesterday.
Investigators probing the crash have found that the aircraft’s emergency power system was likely active just before impact.
The Wall Street Journal reported that this possibly suggested an engine or hydraulic failure during takeoff, a rare event in commercial aviation.
Air India is cutting its international wide body operations by 15 per cent for a few weeks due to safety inspections.
Families in India with concerns can call Air India on 1800 5691 444. Those outside India can call the British Foreign Office on 020 7008 5000.
Key Points
- India to send black box from crashed Air India to US for analysis
- Air India chairperson says crashed plane had clean engine history
- More than 200 Air India crash victims identified
- Air India cutting widebody international operations by 15% for few weeks
- Emergency power was likely active before the crash - report
Civil aviation ministry drafts rules to minimise flight path hazards in the wake of Air India crash
12:00 , Maroosha MuzaffarIn response to the deadly 12 June Air India Boeing 787 crash, India’s ministry of civil aviation has released draft rules – Aircraft (Demolition of Obstructions) Rules, 2025 – to prevent flight path hazards.
The rules aim to empower authorities to identify and remove buildings or trees exceeding permissible height limits near aerodromes, the ministry said.
If the structure is found in violation, aviation regulator DGCA or an authorised officer may order its demolition or height reduction, with an additional 60-day extension possible only on valid grounds.
India to send black box from crashed Air India to US for analysis
11:15 , Maroosha MuzaffarIndia will send the black box from the crashed Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner to the US for analysis after it sustained extensive external damage, The Economic Times has reported, citing an internal source.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) in Washington will handle the extraction, with findings shared with India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB).
“While AAIB had established a laboratory at its headquarters in Delhi last year, it is yet to be properly equipped to extract data from recorders which have sustained heavy damage. The NTSB team will carry them to their lab under protection and supervision from Indian officials to ensure that proper protocols are followed,” a person involved in the process told ET.
Air India chairperson says crashed plane had clean engine history
10:30 , Maroosha MuzaffarAir India chairperson N Chandrasekaran has said that the Boeing 787 Dreamliner that crashed last week had a clean engine history.
In an interview with Times Now, he said that the right engine was newly installed in March this year, and the left was last serviced in 2023.
The aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad, killing 241 people on board and about 30 on the ground.
Yesterday, the Wall Street Journal reported that the emergency power system was likely activated on flight AI171 before the crash, implying that an engine or hydraulic failure occurred during takeoff.
Video shows miracle survivor walking away from Air India horror crash explosion
09:45 , Maroosha MuzaffarThis is the miraculous moment the sole survivor of the Air India crash emerges from the flames of the Boeing wreckage.
More than 270 people were killed when the Air India Boeing 787-8 crashed in Ahmedabad on Thursday (12 June).
New footage has now emerged on social media of British man Vishwas Kumar Ramesh walking out of the crash site.
The video shows Mr Ramesh walking out of flames with phone in his hand as he limps out of the deadly accident.
Locals are seen helping him as black smoke engulfs the sky behind.
New footage shows moment British survivor of Air India crash emerges from flames
Is seat 11A the safest on a plane? Experts weigh in after Air India tragedy
09:00 , Maroosha MuzaffarThe miraculous survival of a passenger who escaped moments after his Air India flight crashed, killing all others on board, has sparked debate over whether his seat, 11A, is the safest on a plane.
However, aviation experts say that determining the safest seat is not so simple, as aircraft configurations vary significantly and survival usually depends on a complex combination of factors.
"Each accident is different, and it is impossible to predict survivability based on seat location," Mitchell Fox, a director at the Flight Safety Foundation, a US-based nonprofit, said.
Ramesh Viswash Kumar, who was seated in 11A, recounted how his proximity to an emergency exit on the London-bound Boeing 787 Dreamliner that crashed on Thursday allowed him to walk to safety.
Sitting next to an exit door may increase a person’s chances of survival in a crash. However, experts say that the specific seat number, such as 11A, is not universally the safest, as aircraft can have numerous different layouts.
Read more here:
Is seat 11A the safest on a plane? Experts weigh in after Air India tragedy
Why did the Air India flight crash? Here’s how experts will investigate the disaster in Ahmedabad
08:15 , Maroosha MuzaffarInvestigators in India are working to identify the cause of the Air India plane crash that killed all but one of the 242 passengers on board on Thursday 12 June. Dozens of people on the ground also died. It was the first fatal crash involving the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
The flight, which had been bound for London Gatwick, came down shortly after taking off from the western city of Ahmedabad. According to Flightradar24, the aircraft departed at 08:08:44 GMT (1.38pm local time) from runway 23 and climbed only a few hundred feet before crashing less than a minute later.
With speculation rife about the cause of the disaster, Indian safety experts have been joined by teams from the UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) and US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) to work out what happened as the disaster on flight AI171 unfolded.
Both “black boxes” – the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder – have been recovered from the wreckage. The information they contain will help investigators piece together the doomed flight and determine the causes. The investigators will gather evidence from air-traffic control, radar, CCTV and observers to understand what factors were involved in the accident. They will also talk to the sole survivor, Vishwas Kumar Ramesh, about what he recalls during the crash.
Read more by Simon Calder here:
Why did Air India flight crash? How experts will investigate the Ahmedabad disaster
India to send black box from crashed Air India to US for analysis
07:58 , Maroosha MuzaffarIndia will send the black box from the crashed Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner to the US for analysis after it sustained extensive external damage, The Economic Times has reported, citing an internal source.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) in Washington will handle the extraction, with findings shared with India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB).
“While AAIB had established a laboratory at its headquarters in Delhi last year, it is yet to be properly equipped to extract data from recorders which have sustained heavy damage. The NTSB team will carry them to their lab under protection and supervision from Indian officials to ensure that proper protocols are followed,” a person involved in the process told ET.
More than 200 Air India crash victims identified, minister says
07:30 , Maroosha MuzaffarIndian authorities have identified over 200 victims of the 12 June Air India crash through DNA testing, the Indian authorities said yesterday.
“As of 2pm, 202 DNA (samples) have been matched,” Mr Harsh Sanghavi, home minister of Ahmedabad’s Gujarat state, wrote on X.
The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, en route to London Gatwick, crashed shortly after takeoff in Ahmedabad, killing 241 on board and more than 30 on the ground.
The cause of the crash is yet to be determined. Experts from India, the UK and the US are examining data from the recovered black boxes.
Earlier, Indian aviation regulator called for inspections of all 33 Dreamliners with Air India and so far 26 have been cleared by the DGCA.
Boeing 787’s emergency-power system likely active before Air India crash - report
06:45 , Maroosha MuzaffarInvestigators looking into the deadly crash of Air India Flight 171, which claimed over 270 lives, have found that the aircraft’s emergency power system was likely activated shortly before impact.
According to The Wall Street Journal, this could point to a possible engine or hydraulic failure during takeoff, an extremely rare but serious issue in commercial aviation.
However, investigators have not yet confirmed what triggered the emergency system, the report said, citing sources familiar with the inquiry.
Lone Air India crash survivor attends brother’s funeral
06:00 , Maroosha MuzaffarViswashkumar Ramesh, the sole survivor of the Air India flight AI171 crash, attended the funeral of his brother Ajay, who was among the 241 passengers and 30 people on the ground who died.
Still recovering and visibly emotional, he helped carry his brother’s coffin through their hometown.
As families across India mourn, efforts to identify victims continue, with more than 200 bodies confirmed so far through DNA testing.
Air India’s chairman reiterated that the crashed Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner had no known engine issues.
Air India chairperson says crashed plane had clean engine history
05:15 , Maroosha MuzaffarAir India chairperson N Chandrasekaran has said that the Boeing 787 Dreamliner that crashed last week had a clean engine history.
In an interview with Times Now, he said that the right engine was newly installed in March this year, and the left was last serviced in 2023.
The aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad, killing 241 people on board and about 30 on the ground.
Yesterday, the Wall Street Journal reported that the emergency power system was likely activated on flight AI171 before the crash, implying that an engine or hydraulic failure occurred during takeoff.
More than 200 Air India crash victims identified, minister says
04:30 , Maroosha MuzaffarIndian authorities have identified over 200 victims of the 12 June Air India crash through DNA testing, the Indian authorities said yesterday.
“As of 2pm, 202 DNA (samples) have been matched,” Mr Harsh Sanghavi, home minister of Ahmedabad’s Gujarat state, wrote on X.
The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, en route to London Gatwick, crashed shortly after takeoff in Ahmedabad, killing 241 on board and more than 30 on the ground.
The cause of the crash is yet to be determined. Experts from India, the UK and the US are examining data from the recovered black boxes.
Earlier, Indian aviation regulator called for inspections of all 33 Dreamliners with Air India and so far 26 have been cleared by the DGCA.
Air India cutting widebody international operations by 15% for few weeks
03:49 , Maroosha MuzaffarAir India is cutting its international widebody operations by 15 per cent for a few weeks due to safety inspections and disruptions following the deadly crash of flight AI171, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner that killed 241 people on board.
So far, 26 of the airline’s 33 Dreamliners have been cleared after inspection.
The airline, owned by the Tata Group, said the reductions will remain in place through at least mid-July to maintain operational stability, improve efficiency, and reduce passenger inconvenience.
Air India added that inspections of the remaining aircraft will be carried out in the coming days, with further checks also scheduled for its Boeing 777 fleet.
Air India also attributed the recent wave of flight cancellations, 83 in the past six days, to geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and night curfews affecting several European and East Asian airspaces, Reuters reported.
Air India chairperson apologises for cancellations
12:35 , Maroosha MuzaffarIn a message to members, Air India chairperson Campbell Wilson expressed regret over the increased number of flight cancellations seen in recent days. In the past six days, 83 Air India flights have been cancelled, impacting passengers.
He attributed the disruptions to the extended time required for safety checks on the airline’s Boeing 787 fleet, which are now being extended to Boeing 777 aircraft as well.
He wrote: “Regrettably, the time required to perform these enhanced safety checks, along with the application of extra caution, external factors like airspace closures in Iran and the Middle East as well as night-time restrictions at some international airports, along with normal airline technical issues, has led to a higher-than-usual number of cancellations on our long-haul network in the past few days. We know these disruptions have been frustrating, and we’re truly sorry for the inconvenience.”
Why did the Air India flight crash? Here’s how experts will investigate the disaster in Ahmedabad
12:21 , Maroosha MuzaffarInvestigators in India are working to identify the cause of the Air India plane crash that killed all but one of the 242 passengers on board on Thursday 12 June. Dozens of people on the ground also died. It was the first fatal crash involving the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
The flight, which had been bound for London Gatwick, came down shortly after taking off from the western city of Ahmedabad. According to Flightradar24, the aircraft departed at 08:08:44 GMT (1.38pm local time) from runway 23 and climbed only a few hundred feet before crashing less than a minute later.
Read more by Simon Calder here:
Why did Air India flight crash? How experts will investigate the Ahmedabad disaster
Indian canteen worker's hopes dashed, no second miracle in air crash
12:27 , Maroosha MuzaffarRavi Thakor had been hoping his mother and two-year old daughter had escaped just before an Air India jet crashed into the building they were in.
A week after one of the world's worst aviation disasters killed more than 270 people in the western Indian city of Ahmedabad, Thakor's hopes were dashed when doctors matched his DNA on Wednesday with the remains of his mother Sarla and daughter Aadhya.
A canteen worker in a college hostel, Thakor and other family members had left the hostel around 30 minutes before Air India's Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft crashed into the building. Sarla had stayed back, cooking and looking after Aadhya, who was asleep.
Thakor and his wife Lalita searched for them in hospitals and the morgue after the crash. After not finding them for days, they said they were hoping for a “second miracle”, referring to the lone passenger aboard the plane who survived the disaster.
On Thursday, the dead bodies were handed over to Thakor's family for the final rites.
“We are going to cremate my mother and daughter. It is very difficult for me to say anything right now, but at least we know what happened to them,” Thakor said, struggling to speak.
At least 211 DNA samples had been matched, and 189 dead bodies handed over to families, Rakesh Joshi, the medical superintendent at the Ahmedabad Civil Hospital told reporters on Thursday.
The dead included 241 people on board the plane and at least 30 on the ground.
-Reuters
British man's family in distress over lack of support from UK and India governments
Wednesday 18 June 2025 22:00 , Maroosha MuzaffarThe family of 25-year-old Faizan Rafik, a British man feared to be on the Air India flight that crashed in Ahmedabad last week, is still awaiting official confirmation of his fate.
Despite providing DNA days ago, they’ve received no updates, leaving them in distress and without guidance, the BBC reported.
Rafik was returning to the UK after visiting his wife in Gujarat. His cousin has called for more support from UK authorities and expressed frustration at the lack of communication from both Indian and British officials.
Sameer Rafik, his cousin told the outlet that his family had been left “completely stuck” and that they “don’t know what to do”.
The crash killed 241 of 242 on board, including 53 Britons.
Mr Rafik said: “There’s no update on him, we don’t know if he’s dead or alive.”
“We are still hoping to hear some good news from India but unfortunately we aren’t getting any update from anywhere.“Faizan’s dad was asked to give DNA - it’s been more than four days now. We were supposed to have heard from the hospital by Monday but we haven't heard anything.
“We need to get some update about my brother. Was he there in the flight crash? If he wasn’t on the flight where is he? If he is on the flight then what’s the condition of the body?”
He added: “We haven’t had anything from the UK or India – it feels like he was the one paying tax to this country and the government doesn't bother about the person who has died.
People hold candles as they take part in a special prayer ceremony for the victims of an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner plane, which crashed during take-off from an airport, in Ahmedabad, India, 17 June 2025
“It feels very awful. He’s nothing to the government – just a piece of paper, feels like tearing it up and throwing it in the bin.
“We don’t know what to do because we’re completely blank. We need some kind of support from someone, we need a guide about what to do but we don’t have that at the moment.”
Boeing 787’s emergency-power system likely active before Air India crash - report
Wednesday 18 June 2025 21:00 , Maroosha MuzaffarInvestigators looking into the deadly crash of Air India Flight 171, which claimed over 270 lives, have found that the aircraft’s emergency power system was likely activated shortly before impact.
According to The Wall Street Journal, this could point to a possible engine or hydraulic failure during takeoff, an extremely rare but serious issue in commercial aviation.
However, investigators have not yet confirmed what triggered the emergency system, the report said, citing sources familiar with the inquiry.
Why did the Air India flight crash? Here’s how experts will investigate the disaster in Ahmedabad
Wednesday 18 June 2025 20:00 , Maroosha MuzaffarInvestigators in India are working to identify the cause of the Air India plane crash that killed all but one of the 242 passengers on board on Thursday 12 June. Dozens of people on the ground also died. It was the first fatal crash involving the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
The flight, which had been bound for London Gatwick, came down shortly after taking off from the western city of Ahmedabad. According to Flightradar24, the aircraft departed at 08:08:44 GMT (1.38pm local time) from runway 23 and climbed only a few hundred feet before crashing less than a minute later.
With speculation rife about the cause of the disaster, Indian safety experts have been joined by teams from the UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) and US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) to work out what happened as the disaster on flight AI171 unfolded.
Read more by Simon Calder here:
Why did Air India flight crash? How experts will investigate the Ahmedabad disaster
Locals say Air India pilot ‘sacrificed his life to save others’
Wednesday 18 June 2025 19:00 , Maroosha MuzaffarCaptain Sumeet Sabharwal, a pilot for Air India, is being hailed as a hero for diverting his falling plane away from a densely populated area near Ahmedabad airport, potentially saving hundreds of lives.
Air India flight AI171, bound for London Gatwick, crashed shortly after takeoff, killing all but one of the 242 passengers and crew, as well as at least 29 people on the ground, including medical students.
Locals believe Mr Sabharwal deliberately steered the Boeing 787 Dreamliner away from their apartment building.
Read more here:
Locals say Air India pilot ‘sacrificed his life to save others’
India orders nationwide airport emergency drills after devastating Air India crash
Wednesday 18 June 2025 18:00 , Maroosha MuzaffarIn a 13 June memo titled “Updating Airport Emergency Plan” and reviewed by Reuters, India’s aviation authorities instructed all government-managed airports to conduct a full-scale emergency training exercise on 30 June.
These drills, which simulate crisis scenarios such as crashes or large-scale evacuations, are a standard component of airport preparedness and safety protocols.
The directive came in the wake of the deadly Air India crash on 12 June in Ahmedabad, which claimed 241 lives onboard and killed several more on the ground.
Boeing 787 Dreamliner: a passenger and airline favourite, with some nightmares along the way
Wednesday 18 June 2025 17:00 , Maroosha MuzaffarThe Boeing 787 Dreamliner was the first truly 21st-century big jet. More than 1,000 are in service, and many passengers rate it more highly than other aircraft.
The carbon-fibre twin-engined 787 was designed partly as a replacement for Boeing’s veteran 767 – but also to introduce passenger-friendly benefits such as larger windows and higher cabin pressure.
The Dreamliner was also accountant-friendly, burning about one-fifth less fuel than the 767, and allowed airlines’ network planners to dream of ultra-long routes. The daily Qantas nonstop between London Heathrow and Perth in Western Australia, covering over 9,000 miles, is a doddle for a suitably configured 787.
Read more by Simon Calder here:
Boeing 787 Dreamliner: a passenger favourite, with some nightmares along the way
He flew home to bury his father. The Air India crash took his life
Wednesday 18 June 2025 16:00 , Maroosha MuzaffarAs families wait for DNA tests to confirm the identities of their loved ones who perished in the Air India crash, harrowing stories emerge from the decade’s worst aviation disaster. Namita Singh reports from Ahmedabad:
He flew home to bury his father. The Air India crash took his life
Boy who recorded viral Ahmedabad crash video ‘still not feeling like himself’
Wednesday 18 June 2025 15:00 , Maroosha MuzaffarAryan Asari, a 17-year-old airplane enthusiast, was filming from his father’s terrace in Ahmedabad when he witnessed and recorded the horrific Air India Dreamliner crash that killed 241 onboard and nearly 30 on the ground.
A lifelong fan of planes, Aryan was excited to see aircraft up close during his first visit to the city. But the trauma of watching the plane spiral and explode has left him deeply shaken.
“I saw the plane. It was going down and down. Then it wobbled and crashed right before my eyes,” he told the BBC.
His video became crucial to investigators and went viral.“My son is so scared that he has stopped using his phone,” his father, Maganbhai Asari, told the outlet.
Aryan is now trying to recover from the emotional impact, but his father fears he may never look at planes the same way again.
“This was Aryan’s first time in Ahmedabad. Actually, it was the first time in his life that he left the village,” Mr Asari said.
Retired army soldier Mr Asari now lives alone in a modest rooftop room near Ahmedabad airport, while his wife and two children remain in their ancestral village on the Gujarat-Rajasthan border.
“Whenever I’d call, Aryan would ask if I could spot aeroplanes from our terrace and I would tell him you could see hundreds of them streaking the sky.”
The family had been swamped with interview requests after the viral video, and Aryan had a traumatic experience dealing with all that.
“My son was so disturbed by then that we decided to send him back to the village.”
Aryan has now resumed school but is “still not feeling like himself. His mother tells me that every time his phone rings, he gets scared”, Mr Asari said.
“I know he will be fine with time. But I don’t think my son will try looking for airplanes in the sky again.”
New Air India footage shows plane taking off and crashing moments later
British families of Air India crash victims feel ‘utterly abandoned’ by UK government
Wednesday 18 June 2025 14:00 , Maroosha MuzaffarFamilies of British victims of the Air India plane crash are experiencing "pain and frustration" due to delays in identifying and repatriating their loved ones, according to a government minister.
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed shortly after take-off on Thursday, marking one of the deadliest plane accidents in terms of British casualties.
The aircraft crashed into a medical college hostel in a residential area of Ahmedabad, killing 241 of the 242 people on board.
Among the deceased, 52 were British nationals. The sole survivor was Briton Vishwash Kumar Ramesh.
Relatives of Akeel Nanabawa, his wife Hannaa Vorajee and their four-year-old daughter Sara Nanabawa, who died in the crash, said they felt “utterly abandoned” by the UK Government and called for more support on the ground in India.
Read more here:
British families of Air India crash victims feel ‘utterly abandoned’ by UK government
Boeing 787’s emergency-power system likely active before Air India crash - report
Wednesday 18 June 2025 13:00 , Maroosha MuzaffarInvestigators looking into the deadly crash of Air India Flight 171, which claimed over 270 lives, have found that the aircraft’s emergency power system was likely activated shortly before impact.
According to The Wall Street Journal, this could point to a possible engine or hydraulic failure during takeoff, an extremely rare but serious issue in commercial aviation.
However, investigators have not yet confirmed what triggered the emergency system, the report said, citing sources familiar with the inquiry.
Crashed aircraft completed two flights before taking off for London Gatwick, regulator says
Wednesday 18 June 2025 12:30 , Maroosha MuzaffarIndia’s aviation ministry confirmed that the Air India Boeing 787-8 that crashed on 12 June had completed two earlier flights, Paris to Delhi and Delhi to Ahmedabad, without issues before crashing shortly after takeoff en route to London, killing 241 of 242 on board and dozens on the ground.
The Indian aviation regulator said on Tuesday that Air India’s Dreamliner have no major safety flaws but flagged maintenance and coordination issues.
Aviation regulator said on Tuesday that since last week’s devastating crash, 66 Air India Dreamliner flights have been cancelled, including several international flights as well.
GoFundMe set up for two girls who lost their father in the crash
Wednesday 18 June 2025 12:00 , Maroosha MuzaffarMore than £600,000 has been raised for two young girls, aged eight and four, who were orphaned after their father, Arjun Patolia, died in the 12 June Air India crash.
Just 18 days earlier, their mother Bharti Patolia had passed away from cancer.
Patolia was returning from India after fulfilling her final wish: to scatter her ashes in a sacred river, when he died in the crash that killed 241 people.
A GoFundMe campaign was launched to support the two girls. It said: “Arjun left to bid farewell to his wife, never returned to the children they both raised. Now, these two beautiful young girls have been left without parents — their world turned upside down in just over two weeks.”
‘Why me?’ Six extraordinary stories of sole plane crash survivors after British man walks away from India Air disaster
Wednesday 18 June 2025 11:30 , Maroosha MuzaffarAfter Viswashkumar Ramesh somehow survived the Air India plane crash that killed everyone else on board, Alex Ross takes a look at other lone survivors and how it changed their lives forever:
The startling stories of six plane crash sole survivors after India Air tragedy
India orders nationwide airport emergency drills after devastating Air India crash
Wednesday 18 June 2025 11:00 , Maroosha MuzaffarIn a 13 June memo titled “Updating Airport Emergency Plan” and reviewed by Reuters, India’s aviation authorities instructed all government-managed airports to conduct a full-scale emergency training exercise on 30 June.
These drills, which simulate crisis scenarios such as crashes or large-scale evacuations, are a standard component of airport preparedness and safety protocols.
The directive came in the wake of the deadly Air India crash on 12 June in Ahmedabad, which claimed 241 lives onboard and killed several more on the ground.
Why did the Air India flight crash? Here’s how experts will investigate the 30-second disaster
Wednesday 18 June 2025 10:30 , Maroosha MuzaffarBoy who recorded viral Ahmedabad crash video ‘still not feeling like himself’
Wednesday 18 June 2025 10:00 , Maroosha MuzaffarAryan Asari, a 17-year-old airplane enthusiast, was filming from his father’s terrace in Ahmedabad when he witnessed and recorded the horrific Air India Dreamliner crash that killed 241 onboard and nearly 30 on the ground.
A lifelong fan of planes, Aryan was excited to see aircraft up close during his first visit to the city. But the trauma of watching the plane spiral and explode has left him deeply shaken.
“I saw the plane. It was going down and down. Then it wobbled and crashed right before my eyes,” he told the BBC.
His video became crucial to investigators and went viral.“My son is so scared that he has stopped using his phone,” his father, Maganbhai Asari, told the outlet.
Aryan is now trying to recover from the emotional impact, but his father fears he may never look at planes the same way again.
“This was Aryan’s first time in Ahmedabad. Actually, it was the first time in his life that he left the village,” Mr Asari said.
Retired army soldier Mr Asari now lives alone in a modest rooftop room near Ahmedabad airport, while his wife and two children remain in their ancestral village on the Gujarat-Rajasthan border.
“Whenever I’d call, Aryan would ask if I could spot aeroplanes from our terrace and I would tell him you could see hundreds of them streaking the sky.”
The family had been swamped with interview requests after the viral video, and Aryan had a traumatic experience dealing with all that.
“My son was so disturbed by then that we decided to send him back to the village.”
Aryan has now resumed school but is “still not feeling like himself. His mother tells me that every time his phone rings, he gets scared”, Mr Asari said.
“I know he will be fine with time. But I don’t think my son will try looking for airplanes in the sky again.”
British man's family in distress over lack of support from UK and India governments
Wednesday 18 June 2025 09:30 , Maroosha MuzaffarThe family of 25-year-old Faizan Rafik, a British man feared to be on the Air India flight that crashed in Ahmedabad last week, is still awaiting official confirmation of his fate.
Despite providing DNA days ago, they’ve received no updates, leaving them in distress and without guidance, the BBC reported.
Rafik was returning to the UK after visiting his wife in Gujarat. His cousin has called for more support from UK authorities and expressed frustration at the lack of communication from both Indian and British officials.
Sameer Rafik, his cousin told the outlet that his family had been left “completely stuck” and that they “don’t know what to do”.
The crash killed 241 of 242 on board, including 53 Britons.
Mr Rafik said: “There’s no update on him, we don’t know if he’s dead or alive.”
“We are still hoping to hear some good news from India but unfortunately we aren’t getting any update from anywhere.“Faizan’s dad was asked to give DNA - it’s been more than four days now. We were supposed to have heard from the hospital by Monday but we haven't heard anything.
“We need to get some update about my brother. Was he there in the flight crash? If he wasn’t on the flight where is he? If he is on the flight then what’s the condition of the body?”
He added: “We haven’t had anything from the UK or India – it feels like he was the one paying tax to this country and the government doesn't bother about the person who has died.
“It feels very awful. He’s nothing to the government – just a piece of paper, feels like tearing it up and throwing it in the bin.
“We don’t know what to do because we’re completely blank. We need some kind of support from someone, we need a guide about what to do but we don’t have that at the moment.”
What do investigators mean when they say that 'emergency power was likely active' before the crash?
Wednesday 18 June 2025 08:58 , Maroosha MuzaffarOn airplanes, there is a backup system called emergency power that turns on only if something goes seriously wrong.
In the case of Air India Boeing Dreamliner crash in Ahmedabad last week, people familiar with the probe told the Wall Street Journal that the emergency system was activated before the crash which meant that it is likely that both engines failed or that the plane lost some important systems that would have helped in giving it thrust.
Having the emergency power active means that something may have gone very wrong right after the takeoff.
It doesn’t, however, prove exactly what caused the crash, but it’s a big clue for the investigators.
Investigators recover cockpit voice recorder from crashed Air India flight
Wednesday 18 June 2025 08:30 , Bryony GoochInvestigators have recovered the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) from the Air India flight that crashed shortly after takeoff outside Ahmedabad airport last week.
All but one passenger died after the London-bound Boeing 787 aircraft crashed into the campus of a medical college in Ahmedabad city on Thursday afternoon. Only one passenger among the 242 aboard survived.
At least 29 others on the ground, including five medical students inside the hostel, were also killed.
The CVR, which captures audio from the cockpit, including pilot conversations along with the flight data recorder, will be key to determine the possible cause of one of the worst aviation disasters in decades. The flight data recorder was recovered from the crash site over the weekend.
Read more here from Alisha Rahaman Sarkar:
Investigators recover cockpit voice recorder from crashed Air India flight
Is flying getting more dangerous? Ask Simon Calder Anything
Wednesday 18 June 2025 08:00 , Maroosha MuzaffarThe heartbreaking crash of Air India flight AI171 from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick has shocked many and raised serious questions about aviation safety, but are fears justified?
Join The Independent’s travel correspondent Simon Calder for a live Q&A at 1pm BST on the risks, regulations and realities of flying in 2025 – from the air safety to Boeing and what passengers need to know.
Submit your questions or follow the conversation here.
Crashed aircraft completed two flights before taking off for London Gatwick, regulator says
Wednesday 18 June 2025 07:30 , Maroosha MuzaffarIndia’s aviation ministry confirmed that the Air India Boeing 787-8 that crashed on 12 June had completed two earlier flights, Paris to Delhi and Delhi to Ahmedabad, without issues before crashing shortly after takeoff en route to London, killing 241 of 242 on board and dozens on the ground.
The Indian aviation regulator said on Tuesday that Air India’s Dreamliner have no major safety flaws but flagged maintenance and coordination issues.
Aviation regulator said on Tuesday that since last week’s devastating crash, 66 Air India Dreamliner flights have been cancelled, including several international flights as well.
Regulator asks Air India for training data on pilots and dispatcher of crashed plane
Wednesday 18 June 2025 07:00 , Maroosha MuzaffarIndia’s aviation regulator, the DGCA, has requested detailed training records for the pilots and dispatcher of the Air India Dreamliner that crashed last week, killing more than 270 people.
The move is part of a broader investigation into the tragedy, led by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB).
The DGCA also asked flying schools nationwide to carry out compliance checks on safety procedures, training, and coordination, and told airports to hold full-scale emergency drills by 30 June, according to Reuters, which cited a confidential memo seen by them.
While no specific concerns have been raised about Air India's operations yet, the requests are standard post-crash procedures.
India orders nationwide airport emergency drills after devastating Air India crash
Wednesday 18 June 2025 06:30 , Maroosha MuzaffarIn a 13 June memo titled “Updating Airport Emergency Plan” and reviewed by Reuters, India’s aviation authorities instructed all government-managed airports to conduct a full-scale emergency training exercise on 30 June.
These drills, which simulate crisis scenarios such as crashes or large-scale evacuations, are a standard component of airport preparedness and safety protocols.
The directive came in the wake of the deadly Air India crash on 12 June in Ahmedabad, which claimed 241 lives onboard and killed several more on the ground.
Why did the Air India flight crash? Here’s how experts will investigate the 30-second disaster
Wednesday 18 June 2025 06:00 , Maroosha MuzaffarAir India cancels 66 Dreamliner flights since the crash that killed more than 270
Wednesday 18 June 2025 05:30 , Maroosha MuzaffarSince the fatal 12 June crash of an Air India Boeing 787 in Ahmedabad, the DGCA reported that Air India has cancelled 66 Dreamliner flights.
While inspections found no major safety issues with the 787 fleet, the regulator flagged maintenance concerns and urged better coordination across departments.
Most flight cancellations followed intensified inspections after the Ahmedabad crash, The Hindustan Times reported.
The DGCA is continuing its review of Air India and Air India Express operations in the wake of the tragedy.
India regulator finds no major safety flaws in Air India Dreamliner fleet
Wednesday 18 June 2025 04:59 , Maroosha MuzaffarIndia’s aviation regulator, the DGCA, found no major safety flaws in Air India’s Dreamliner fleet after inspecting 24 aircraft, offering some relief amid post-crash scrutiny.
However, it flagged ongoing issues with spare-part delays and poor coordination between departments, warning these could affect reliability.
Despite the concerns, all inspected planes met current safety standards.
Following the crash, India’s civil aviation minister had ordered extended inspections of all 33 Boeing 787s in the Indian fleet.
Regulator asks Air India for training data on pilots and dispatcher of crashed plane
Wednesday 18 June 2025 04:30 , Maroosha MuzaffarIndia's aviation regulator, the DGCA, has requested detailed training records for the pilots and dispatcher of the Air India Dreamliner that crashed last week, killing more than 270 people.
The move is part of a broader investigation into the tragedy, led by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB).
The DGCA also asked flying schools nationwide to carry out compliance checks on safety procedures, training, and coordination, and told airports to hold full-scale emergency drills by 30 June, according to Reuters, which cited a confidential memo seen by them.
While no specific concerns have been raised about Air India's operations yet, the requests are standard post-crash procedures.
Multiple international flights cancelled as Air India Dreamliners come under scrutiny
Wednesday 18 June 2025 03:56 , Maroosha MuzaffarAir India has cancelled or delayed multiple international flights operated by Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners following last week’s deadly crash that killed more than 270 people.
Several international routes – among them London, Paris, Vienna, and Dubai – were disrupted on Tuesday as Air India halted operations on multiple flights.
The airline attributed the interruptions to a mix of factors: grounded aircraft, technical issues, restricted airspace, and heightened safety protocols.
In the past two days alone, at least three more Dreamliner flights have either been delayed or taken out of service amid intensified inspections mandated by India’s aviation authority, which is scrutinising all 33 of Air India’s Dreamliners.
A Boeing 777 on the San Francisco–Mumbai route was also sidelined due to a mechanical fault.
