Air India flight AI171 crashed on Thursday – killing all but one of the 242 people onboard – and friends and relatives assistance centres have been created at London Gatwick and other airports

A London-bound passenger plane crashed in the Indian city of Ahmedabad on Thursday

Air India shared a promotional video with a shocking four-word message just hours before the fatal cash of flight AI171 earlier this week.

The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft, which had been bound for London’s Gatwick Airport, was carrying 242 passengers and crew members when it crashed minutes after taking off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. Right before losing signal, the aircraft sent a “mayday” message to colleagues on the ground, alerting them to an emergency situation.

The Dreamliner crashed directly into a dining room at B J Medical College, in a residential area of Ahmedabad, western India, while medical students were sitting down for their lunch.

An investigation team inspects the wreckage of Air India flight 171
An investigation team inspects the wreckage of Air India flight 171 (Image: AFP via Getty Images)

More than 200 bodies have been recovered from the site of the crash, and police initially warned that they did not expect to find survivors from the plane. However, in a turn of events deemed miraculous by some, it’s believed Air India passenger Vishwash Kumar Ramesh managed to escape the horror ordeal, surviving with “impact injuries” on his chest, eyes and feet.

Families who have lost loved ones in the Air India Flight 171 catastrophe will be offered £86,000, as pledged by Air India owners the Tata Group.

On June 11, just a day before the fatal crash, Air India shared a video to their Instagram account with a shocking four-word message. The video is captioned: “Your journey with us is worth more than points. Maharaja Club High Flyers recognises our top 60 members with special rewards from Apple, Dyson, TUMI and GoPro.

“Fly anywhere across the Air India network before 30th June 2025 and enjoy #ThatSpecialFeeling. *Offer exclusive for Maharaja Club members. T&C Apply.”

Days later, after the fatal cash of flight AI171, several Instagram users took to the comments section to express their feelings towards the video in the wake of the horrific crash and loss of life.

Following the crash Air India did provide the following statement on their social media pages shortly after the devastating crash: “Air India confirms that flight AI171, from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, was involved in an accident today after take-off. The flight, which departed from Ahmedabad at 1338 hrs, was carrying 242 passengers and crew members on board the Boeing 787-8 aircraft.

“Of these, 169 are Indian nationals, 53 are British nationals, 1 Canadian national and 7 Portuguese nationals. The injured are being taken to the nearest hospitals. We have also set up a dedicated passenger hotline number 1800 5691 444 to provide more information. Air India is giving its full cooperation to the authorities investigating this incident.”