Two Manipur Cabin Crew Among ThosOn June 12, 2025, Air India Flight 171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, crashed just 30 seconds after takeoff from Ahmedabad, India
Summary of the News article
On June 12, 2025, Air India Flight 171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, crashed just 30 seconds after takeoff from Ahmedabad, India, bound for London Gatwick. The disaster killed 241 of the 242 on board, as well as at least 28 people on the ground, making it the deadliest single-plane crash in India’s history. Notably, among the victims were two young cabin crew members from Manipur—Kongbrailatpam Nganthoi Sharma (Meitei) and Lamnunthiem Singson (Kuki‑Zo)—who tragically united the region during its ongoing ethnic tensions. Only one passenger, Vishwashkumar Ramesh, survived. The crash is under investigation by Indian authorities with international support, and it marks the first-ever fatal accident involving a Boeing 787.
1. The Day the Skies Fell: A Tragic Takeoff
Have you ever been on a flight and felt that sudden jolt just as your plane lifts off? That familiar sense of adventure, mixed with butterflies? On June 12, 2025, for those aboard Flight AI 171, that lift-off turned into a nightmare. The aircraft, a Boeing 787–8 Dreamliner (registration VT‑ANB), soared briefly over the runway at Ahmedabad Airport, then descended rapidly and crashed just 30 seconds after takeoff—at about 625 feet altitude, per flight data logs youtube.com+8en.wikipedia.org+8people.com+8.
It was such a brief flight—from routine to catastrophe in the blink of an eye. One moment, passengers were bracing for a long-haul flight to London; the next, emergency teams responded to thick black smoke and screams of anguish. In an instant, lives transformed irrevocably. Witnesses on the ground recounted pieces of the aircraft slamming into a medical college hostel, igniting scenes of horror among students and residents.
2. Lives Lost & Lives Affected: A Toll Beyond Numbers
The Onboard Victims
Flight AI 171 carried 230 passengers and 12 crew members, including two pilots—Captain Sumeet Sabharwal (8,200 flight hours) and First Officer Clive Kunder (1,100 hours) Among the 241 express fatalities were:
- 169 Indian nationals
- 53 British citizens
- 7 Portuguese
- 1 Canadian
The cabin crew included several young hopefuls, among them Kongbrailatpam Nganthoi Sharma and Lamnunthiem Singson, both from Manipur. Their deaths have deeply resonated across their home state.
Ground Casualties
The tragedy wasn’t limited to the skies. The Dreamliner plummeted into the campus of BJ Medical College and Civil Hospital, obliterating a dining hall and student residences. At least 28 lives were lost on the ground, including medical students, residents, and staff caught in the blaze. Around 60 more people were injured.
The Lone Survivor
Against all odds, Vishwashkumar Ramesh, a British national of Indian origin seated at 11A, miraculously survived. He escaped the wreckage alive, albeit with serious injuries, and is now receiving care in Ahmedabad. His survival—one out of 242 souls—is nothing short of astounding.
3. Manipur’s Heartbreak: The Cabin Crew from the Northeast
A State in Pain, United in Sorrow
Flooded by grief, Manipur—a state often marred by ethnic divide—momentarily came together in solidarity when news broke that two of its daughters perished aboard the flight. Kongbrailatpam Nganthoi Sharma (Meitei), aged 20, joined Air India in April 2023 after being selected via campus recruitment. She hailed from Thoubal district. instagram.com+6ndtv.com+6indiatoday.in+6
Lamnunthiem Singson, from the Kuki‑Zo community, had joined Air India in 2024 after being displaced from Imphal West due to violent conflict. Her service with the Tata-owned airline was brief but full of promise.
A Symbol of Peace in a Restless Land
For a split second, Manipur’s longstanding tensions—between Meitei and Kuki communities—were overshadowed by a collective outpouring of grief. Schools closed, local leaders paid tribute, and prayers echoed throughout homes. Manipur took no sides, only grief.
4. How It Happened: Sequence of the Disaster
Evacuation and Mayday
Just moments after liftoff at 1:38 p.m. IST, the flight crew issued a mayday alert, but then contact abruptly ceased. Radar data showed the aircraft climbing to approximately 625 feet, then plunging to about 230 feet before ground impact
Eyewitnesses recounted how the aircraft “skimmed forward—too low, too slow”—before disappearing from sight and reappearing engulfed in flames. Explosions and fireballs followed, showering debris over nearby buildings.
5. The Investigation Begins
Black Boxes, Data & Global Collaboration
Indian aviation accident authorities recovered at least one black box, with the flight data recorder expected to provide critical insights The probe is being led by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), with expert help from the UK’s AAIB and the US NTSB
First-Time Dreamliner Accident
Strikingly, this is the first fatal crash involving a Boeing 787 since its 2009 launch. Boeing and engine‑maker GE Aerospace are assisting the investigators. Market impact was immediate: Boeing shares plummeted nearly 5% shortly after the crash
6. International & Government Responses
Words from the Top
Indian PM Narendra Modi described the disaster as “heartbreaking beyond words,” after surveying the crash site. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, King Charles III, and other global leaders extended condolences. Boeing’s CEO promised full cooperation with the probe
Air India & Tata Group Support
Air India, now under Tata Group ownership, activated emergency helplines and set up assistance centres in Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Delhi, and Gatwick. Compensation packages and support are being coordinated for victims’ families and injured survivors
7. The Emotional Ripple: Families, Friends & Communities
From Imphal to Ahmedabad
Nganthoi’s family in Thoubal District were in shock—her sister Gitanjali revealed that her last message, sent amid limited internet access, was a cheerful note saying she’d be unreachable while flying. “I wished her a safe flight… then we heard about the crash,” she said in tears
Lamnunthiem’s relatives, displaced in Kangpokpi amid violence, shared similar agony. “We were devastated,” said a cousin, recalling her last call saying she was flying to London Woman from her home
8. Why It Matters: Impacts and Lessons
Aviation Safety in the Spotlight
This trauma shines a harsh light on modern aviation safety. It’s all the more alarming because Boeing 787s were thought to represent the pinnacle of flight reliability. Now questions fly fast: What went wrong? Design? Maintenance? Pilot error?… The world awaits answers.
Ethnic Unity Through Loss
In Manipur, these lives cut short transcended political and cultural shells. This tragedy reminds us: compassion bridges divides more powerfully than ideology ever could.
Ground Safety Checks Amplified
The crash into a densely-inhabited hospital zone raises alarms about runway safety, approach vectors, and proximity to vulnerable civilian areas. It’s not just about flying—it’s where you fly over.
9. Aftershock: The Road Ahead
Repairing Broken Hearts & Policies
- Families await both emotional and financial closure. Counselling, compensation, long-term care—these aren’t just commitments; they’re necessities.
- Investigators pore over black boxes, flight logs, and cockpit transcripts to learn how the seemingly indomitable Dreamliner became a fireball.
- Aviation regulators worldwide will watch closely: a Dreamliner crash could ripple into mandates, redesigns, and renewed vigilance.
A Call for Unity
In Manipur, despair blooms—but grief also bridges divides. Maybe, just maybe, an olive branch has sprouted from ashes.
FAQs
- Why did the Dreamliner crash so soon after takeoff?
Official investigation is pending, but early data confirm the aircraft climbed briefly before descending, issuing a mayday, then losing control. Mechanical or human factors are both possible. - Who were the flight attendants from Manipur?
They were 20-year-old Nganthoi Sharma (Meitei), recruited in April 2023, and Lamnunthiem Singson (Kuki‑Zo), recruited in 2024, both part of the 12-member cabin crew. - Is this the first fatal crash of a Boeing 787?
Yes. The Dreamliner family launched in 2009 has had no fatal crashes—until now. - Why were medical students among the ground casualties?
The aircraft crashed into campus residences and a dining hall at BJ Medical College, where many students were gathered. - Are there any other survivors?
Just one: British national Vishwashkumar Ramesh, seated at 11A, who walked away from the wreckage.
