SAD NEWS: 251 PEOPLE KILLED in Air India Flight 171 Crash — Pilot’s Chilling Message Before Crash, Revealed by Sole Survivor, Has Everyone Mourning…

On June 12, 2025, the world was struck by tragedy when Air India Flight 171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, crashed mere seconds after takeoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad, India, en route to London Gatwick. The catastrophic accident claimed 251 lives, including 230 passengers, 12 crew members, and 9 people on the ground, leaving a nation in mourning and the global aviation community searching for answers. The sole survivor, 40-year-old British national Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, has since shared a haunting revelation about the pilot’s final words, a chilling message that has deepened the sorrow and sparked intense speculation. As preliminary reports point to a mysterious cockpit error and unverified claims swirl about the pilot’s mental state, the tragedy of Flight 171 has left millions grieving and demanding clarity.

The flight, carrying 169 Indian nationals, 53 British citizens, 7 Portuguese, and 1 Canadian, took off at 9:09 a.m. BST, only to plummet less than 40 seconds later into a medical college hostel in a densely populated Ahmedabad neighborhood. The crash, which triggered a massive explosion visible for miles, killed 9 people on the ground and injured 67 others. Among the victims were families like that of Mariam Ali Syed, a Harrods brand ambassador, her husband Javed, and their two young children, Zayn and Amani, as well as air hostess Nganthoi Sharma Kongbrailatpam. Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, seated near an emergency exit in seat 11A, miraculously survived with minor injuries after his section of the aircraft detached, though he lost his brother Ajaykumar, 35, who was traveling with him on a business trip. Ramesh’s survival, described as a “miracle” by investigators, has made his account a focal point of the unfolding narrative.

The most heart-wrenching detail emerged from Ramesh’s interview with India’s DD News, where he recounted overhearing a chilling transmission from the cockpit moments before the crash: “MAYDAY… MAYDAY… MAYDAY… NO POWER… NO THRUST… GOING DOWN.” These desperate words, attributed to Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, were broadcast to air traffic control as the plane reached a maximum altitude of just 400 feet before losing power and crashing. The preliminary report from India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), released on July 12, 2025, revealed that both fuel cutoff switches in the cockpit were moved from “RUN” to “CUTOFF,” causing an immediate loss of thrust. Cockpit voice recordings captured a panicked exchange between Sabharwal and co-pilot Clive Kundar, with one asking, “Why did you cut off?” and the other responding, “I did not.” This chilling dialogue, combined with Ramesh’s account, has left families and the public grappling with the horror of those final 32 seconds.

Speculation about the cause has fueled intense debate. The AAIB report noted that the fuel switches, equipped with a locking mechanism to prevent accidental movement, were later found in the “RUN” position, suggesting an attempt to restore power. However, the plane’s low altitude and speed made recovery impossible. While some early reports, including one from The US Sun on July 14, 2025, suggested Captain Sabharwal was struggling with mental health issues following his mother’s death and was considering early retirement, pilot unions have fiercely rejected claims of human error. The Indian Commercial Pilots’ Association called such allegations “reckless” and “unfounded,” arguing that the crew acted in line with their training under extreme conditions. A former pilot, Marco Chan, speaking to Reuters, pointed to a possible chip malfunction, likening the system failure to a “blue screen of death” caused by a thermal cycle issue, suggesting mechanical or software issues may have played a role.

The tragedy has also raised questions about Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner, once celebrated for its advanced design. A 2018 FAA bulletin had warned about potential issues with fuel switch locking mechanisms, though no mechanical or design faults have been confirmed in this case. Families of the victims, many attending funerals near the crash site, have expressed fury over the AAIB’s “vague” report, with some, alongside UK Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander, demanding full transparency, including the release of complete cockpit audio. Social media platforms like X have been flooded with grief and speculation, with posts like one from @WestsydeServer on July 15 suggesting a possible “murder-suicide” while acknowledging the “sketchy” nature of such claims. Others, like @tweets_amit, have focused on decoding the AAIB report, emphasizing the 94 seconds of chaos that defined Flight 171’s fate.

As investigations continue, the sole survivor’s account and the pilot’s final words have become a haunting symbol of loss. Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, now seeking psychiatric help, told LiveMint he is “not talking to anyone,” overwhelmed by the trauma of witnessing “people dying in front of my eyes.” The tragedy of Air India Flight 171, with its unanswered questions and profound human toll, has left a scar on the world, uniting millions in mourning for the lives lost and the mystery that remains.