Motorists in Penang beware: Lane closures and new routes ahead due to the ongoing progress of The Light Interchange project.
Grab a seat, folks. We're gonna take a journey through the skies of India, but I promise you, it ain't gonna be a smooth flight. Here's the deal: We're delving into the darker side of aviation history, specifically the tragic airline accidents that have occurred in this vibrant nation. Buckle up!
Skyward Sorrow: Major Airline Mishaps in India
It's been a bumpy ride for those flying the friendly skies over India. Here are some of the most heartbreaking incidents:
- June 12, 2025: Air India Flight AI171 (Boeing 787-8) - A fatal crash shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad to London. The final tally? Almost 280 lives lost, making it one of the deadliest commercial aviation disasters in India's history.
- August 7, 2020: Air India Express Flight 1344 (Boeing 737-800) - The plane crashed while landing at Kozhikode Airport, overshot the runway, and broke apart in a valley. 17 dead, 138 injured folks made it out alive.
- May 2010: Air India Boeing 737 flight from Dubai - Overshot the runway at the airport in Mangaluru, crashing into a gorge, killing 158 people on board. Talk about a nightmare scenario.
- July 2000: Alliance Air flight between Kolkata and New Delhi - Plunged into a residential area of Patna, killing more than 50 souls.
- April 1993: Indian Airlines Boeing 737 - Crashed during takeoff in Aurangabad, killing 55 people on board.
- August 1991: Indian Airlines Boeing 737 flight from Kolkata - Crashed during descent near Imphal, the capital of Manipur, killing all 69 occupants onboard.
- October 1988: Indian Airlines Boeing 737 - More than 130 passengers died when the plane crashed as it was coming in to land.
- January 1978: Air India flight - All 213 passengers were killed when the captain lost control of the plane after take-off and plunged it into the Arabian Sea off the coast of Mumbai.
A Brief Timeline of Tragedy
Here's a quick timeline to help put these disasters in perspective:
| Year | Flight/Airline | Incident Details | Casualties ||--------|-----------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------|| 2025 | Air India Flight AI171 | Crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad to London, impacting a residential area at B.J. Medical College. Nearly all 242 passengers and crew died, plus at least 38 on the ground. | ~280+ fatalities[1][4][5] || 2020 | Air India Express Flight 1344 | Crashed while landing at Kozhikode Airport, overshot the runway and broke apart in a valley. | 17 dead, 138 injured[1] || 2018 | Air India Flight 101 | Multiple instrument failures, fuel critical, diverted and landed safely at Newark. | None[4] || 2015 | Air India (Mumbai Airport) | Technician killed after being sucked into an engine during pushback. | 1 fatality[4] || 1985 | Air India Flight 182 | Bombed by terrorists off the coast of Cork, Ireland. (Not strictly in India, but involving an Indian flight.) | 329 fatalities[4] |
In Closing...
Air India's dark history includes at least 11 fatal crashes and one ground fatality as of June 2025. These tragedies have reignited safety concerns and led to debates about regulatory oversight and aviation infrastructure in India. The 2025 Ahmedabad crash has prompted renewed scrutiny of both Air India and Boeing, with global attention on operational safety and aircraft reliability.
Stay safe and fly with care, folks! That's all for now. I'll see you in the next article.
[1] - reuters.com[2] - abcnews.go.com[3] - thehindu.com[4] - en.wikipedia.org[5] - airindiacrashes.com
Plagued by historical mishaps, the skies above India continue to be marred by catastrophes, as evident in the international news and general-news reports. From political turmoil to war-and-conflicts, the nation also grapples with health concerns, as numerous airline calamities attest to its fragile state of aviation safety. Notably, Air India, the country's national carrier, has been severely affected, accounting for several tragic incidents, such as the 2025 crash of Flight AI171 and previous calamities in 2010, 1993, 1991, and 1988. These heartrending events emphasize the urgent need for improved international regulatory oversight, aviation infrastructure, and health standards within India.
