In Ahmedabad, Gujarat, an Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner with 242 passengers on board crashed soon after taking off in a tragic accident. Flight AI 171 to London lost contact only five minutes after taking off at 1:38 PM local time and crashed in Meghani Nagar, close to the airport. The passengers included a former Gujarat Chief Minister, Vijay Rupani, 52 British nationals, and 6 Portuguese citizens. Over 260 people died, with 241 passengers, and many on the ground. This is one of the worst aviation tragedies to have ever happened in India.
World’s Deadliest Aviation Disasters
| Rank | Date | Location | Aircraft | Fatalities | Cause |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | March 27, 1977 | Tenerife, Spain | Two Boeing 747s | 586 | Miscommunication |
| 2 | August 12, 1985 | Japan | Boeing 747 | 520 | Pressure system failure |
| 3 | March 3, 1974 | Paris, France | DC-10 | 346 | Door failure |
| 4 | November 12, 1996 | Charkhi Dadri, India | Two aircraft collision | 349 | Air traffic control error |
| 5 | August 19, 1980 | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia | Lockheed TriStar | 301 | Cabin fire |
| 6 | January 1, 1978 | Mumbai, India | Boeing 747 | 213 | Technical failure |
| 7 | October 29, 2018 | Indonesia | Boeing 737 MAX | 189 | Technical malfunction |
| 8 | May 22, 2010 | Mangalore, India | Boeing 737 | 158 | Pilot error |
| 9 | April 26, 1993 | Aurangabad, India | Boeing 737 | 55 | Runway collision |
| 10 | August 7, 2020 | Kozhikode, India | Boeing 737 | 21 | Runway overrun |
Tenerife Tragedy In 1977
March 27, 1977, was the tragic date of the most devastating incident that happened when two jumbo Boeing 747s crashed on the runway at Los Rodeos Airport. These were KLM Flight 4805 and Pan AM Flight 1736, the planes that were preparing to land at Las Palmas Airport.
This disaster cannot be compared with any of the disasters that have ever happened. This was particularly because of a misunderstanding between the air traffic controller and the pilots, and dense fog, which significantly decreased the visibility on the runway.
Japan Airlines Flight 123 In 1985
On August 12, 1985, Japan Airlines Flight 123 became the single-aircraft accident that has the highest number of victims in the history of the aviation industry. The Boeing 747 was on its way to Osaka with the Tokyo flight, and suddenly, the pressure system went down, which was the main cause of the disaster. Of course, the aircraft lost control and hit Mount Osutaka. Around 520 people were killed.
Turkish Airlines Flight 981 In 1974
Turkish Airlines Flight 981 on March 3, 1974, went down outside Paris. 346 people were on the flight, and according to the report, all of them were killed. The aircraft (DC-10) experienced a horrific aviation disaster as its cargo door blew out mid-air. This led to sudden decompression and loss of control that saw the plane crash in a forest.
The probe showed that there was a basic design fault in the door operating system of the plane. The accident resulted in the design standards and safety procedures of aircraft undergoing considerable alterations across the globe.
The Charkhi Dadri Mid-Air Collision In 1996
The worst aviation disaster that happened in India was on November 12, 1996, in Charkhi Dadri, Haryana. A Saudi Arabian Airlines Boeing 747 and a Kazakhstan Airlines Ilyushin Il-76 crashed in the air; 349 passengers were on board, and sadly, all were killed.
The investigation showed that the incident happened because of miscommunication between the pilots and the air traffic control.
Air India Flight 182 In 1978
An Air India crash on January 1, 1978, involved an Air India Boeing 747 that crashed in the Arabian Sea shortly after takeoff from Mumbai. 213 people on the flight were killed, and due to a technical issue, the aircraft suddenly lost its direction.
Mangalore Airport Disaster (2010)
The Air India Express Flight 812 was a Dubai to Mangalore Airport crash that crash-landed on May 22, 2010. The airplane, Boeing 737-200, was carrying 166 people when it overshot the runway and broke into two parts before catching fire. 158 people lost their lives in this crash. It was found out that the pilots were fatigued, and they made grave errors during landing.
Aurangabad Runway Collision (1993)
Indian Airlines Flight 491 was involved in an accident on April 26, 1993, at Aurangabad Airport when it hit a truck on the runway as it was leaving the airport for Mumbai. The collision resulted in the fire of the Boeing 737, in which 55 people died. This was a tragedy that could have been avoided because the truck driver had gotten onto the runway without the necessary clearance.
Kozhikode Runway Accident (2020)
On August 7, 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Air India Express Flight 1344 crashed while landing at Kozhikode Airport. The aircraft was under the Vande Bharat Mission, which brought back Indians from Dubai. The plane went past the runway and crashed in two portions, killing 21 people and injuring 110 others during heavy rain.
Saudi Arabia Cabin Fire Tragedy (1980)
Saudi Flight 163 (277), Riyadh, took off and caught fire in the cabin on August 19, 1980. For example, in the case of an emergency landing of a Lockheed TriStar, the aircraft landed successfully, but all 301 people on board were killed by smoke inhalation because the aircraft was not evacuated in time.
Indonesia Boeing 737 MAX Disaster (2018)
Lion Air Flight 610 crashed on October 29, 2018, and fell into the Java Sea only 13 minutes after departure time in Jakarta. 189 people were on board the Boeing 737 MAX, and it was later traced to have been due to a failure in the control system of the aircraft. The accident, along with another one that happened in Ethiopia, led to the grounding of the Boeing 737 MAX planes worldwide.
Late Aviation Incidents Of 2024
Eight major aviation incidents were recorded in the world in 2024, claiming 402 lives. Most of the instances were due to horrible weather conditions or engine failure as the causes of these accidents. The most striking of them was probably the situation with the Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi, whose helicopter crashed on May 19, 2024, in terrible weather conditions. The crash killed President Raisi, Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, and seven other individuals.
Although aviation is considered one of the safest forms of transport, such tragedies serve as a reminder that we must always be on high alert as far as aviation safety is concerned. The magnitude of all the tragedies has led to a safer form of flying through technology, training, and safety rules. The aviation fraternity is continuously gaining lessons from such incidents to prevent future tragedies and protect the millions of passengers who fly safely every day.
Ahmedabad Plane Crash
This is how plane crashed 💔#AirIndia #PlaneCrash #AhmedabadPlaneCrash pic.twitter.com/jdeIicrvLG
— Entertales (@Entertales) June 12, 2025
The recent Ahmedabad plane crash is one of India’s deadliest aviation disasters. It reminds us grimly that, however much we take care of safety, accidents do occur. We hope and pray that families and loved ones of all the victims involved in these aviation disasters are coping.
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