A CCTV camera has captured the final moments of the ill-fated Air India plane carrying 242 passengers and crew that crashed within minutes of take-off. As the video begins, the aircraft begins taxiing off the runway of the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. About 17 seconds in, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner begins its take-off at which point a small building blocks the view of the plane momentarily. A second or two later, it rises above the runaway and it seems destined for a routine journey. But merely 8 seconds later, the plane stalls and starts its descent beyond the airport compound. That locality, known as Meghani Nagar, is a residential area. A faint outline of the buildings jutting out can be seen and the Air India aircraft suddenly bursts into a ball of flames. According to information, the London-bound flight, AI 171, was carrying 169 Indians, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian national, apart from two pilots and 10 cabin crew members. The flight took off around 1.47 pm, slightly delayed from its scheduled time, and went down just 9 minutes after being given clearance for take-off. According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the pilot had given a Mayday call to the Ahmedabad ATC moments after takeoff. However, there was no response from the aircraft once the ATC responded. The aircraft was under the command of Captain Sumeet Sabharwal with First Officer Clive Kundar, the DGCA also said. Capt Sumeet Sabharwal is a LTC with 8200 hours of experience. The co-pilot had 1100 hours of flying experience. In a statement, the DGCA said, “On Jun 12, 2025, Air India B787 Aircraft VT-ANB while operating flight AI-171 from (Ahmedabad to Gatwick) has crashed immediately after takeoff from Ahmedabad. There were 242 persons on board the aircraft consisting of 2 pilots and 10 cabin crew.”
