Air India crash: Doomed jet in Australia just days ago

The same Boeing 787 which crashed in India killing many had travelled to and from Australia less than a week ago carrying hundreds of passengers.

A jet that crashed en route to London from India had carried hundreds of passengers to and from Australia just days earlier.

Air India flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8, crashed on Thursday moments after takeoff from India’s western city of Ahmedabad.

There were 242 passengers on board with at least 204 bodies found, local authorities have said. One survivor has so far been confirmed.

There has been no official word on what may have caused the crash.

The 787 “Dreamliner” entered service in 2011 with almost 1200 of the type in service, including with Qantas. The India tragedy is its first fatal accident.

However, last year 50 people were injured on a 787 flying from Australia. And early on in the 787’s operations all the jets in service were grounded for three months after a series of on board fires.

The Air India flight that crashed in Ahmedabad had the registration number VT-ANB. It was more than 11 years old, being delivered to the airline in late 2013. The aeroplane was of average age and was due for a midlife refurbishment.

The 787 is one of Air India’s flagship aircraft and regularly flies from its hub airport of Delhi to destinations across the world.

It can carry 256 passengers with 238 in economy and 18 in business.

The back of Air India flight 171 is pictured at the site after it crashed in a residential area near the airport in Ahmedabad on June 12, 2025. (Photo by Sam PANTHAKY / AFP)

Same jet flew to Australia days ago

Just four days ago, on June 8, aircraft VT-ANB was in Australia. It flew into Melbourne’s Tullamarine Airport as flight AI308 landing at 9.08pm on Sunday. It departed at 11.18pm as flight AI309 back to Delhi.

There is no information the aircraft had any incidents on its recent Australia legs.

Air India began serving Australia in 2013 with flights from Delhi to both Sydney and Melbourne using 787s.

After its Melbourne legs, the plane then flew from Delhi to both Paris and Tokyo return, repositioned to Ahmedabad and then took off for London when the fatal incident occurred. It had been due to fly from London to Goa.

Almost 450,000 people travelled from India to Australia in 2024. It is now the fifth biggest market for travel to Australia after New Zealand, China, the UK and US.

The Air India flight was in Melbourne on Sunday. Picture: FlightRadar24.

Qantas and Jetstar 787s

Jetstar flies the 787-8 like Air India. It has 11 in its fleet that mostly fly to Asian destinations including Bali, Phuket and Tokyo.

Qantas has a fleet of 14 787-9s, a longer version than Air India’s 787-8. It flies routes including Perth to London, Paris and Rome, Sydney to New York, Honolulu, Santiago and Vancouver and Melbourne and Brisbane to Los Angeles. There have been no Qantas or Jetstar 787 incidents of note.

A number of airlines fly 787s to Australia including United, LATAM and Air New Zealand.

Aircraft VT-ANB, a Boeing 787, has been with Air India for around 12 years.

787 incidents

The Dreamliner has had a relatively good safety record with no fatalities in its 14 years of service until the Indian crash.

However, just last year, a 787 flying from Australia was involved in an incident.

Flight LA800, by Chilean airline LATAM, was flying from Sydney to Auckland and onto Santiago, when it dropped 300 feet (90 metres) in a few seconds sending passengers not restrained into the roof. There were 50 injuries with one person seriously injured.

It was found the captain’s seat moved forward hitting a switch which momentarily saw the plane rapidly descend.

A potentially more serious set of incidents occurred two years after the 787 entered service leading all the planes to be grounded for a protected period.

In early 2013, there were a number of fires in quick succession on board Dreamliner’s which came from the lithium-ion batteries used on the plane.

Within days, Japan Airlines, All Nippon Airlines and United Airlines all reported damage in and around the batteries including fires.

A general view shows a damaged building at the site where Air India flight 171 crashed. (Photo by Sam PANTHAKY / AFP)

The US’ Federal Aviation Administration grounded all US based 787s in January with other airlines voluntarily keeping the aircraft on the ground. No one was injured but the potential was for an unrestrained fire to break out mid-flight.

The planes were allowed to return to service three months later after modifications were made to better contain fires in the batteries.

Air India desk closed at London Gatwick Airport. (Photo by HENRY NICHOLLS / AFP)

Sole survivor

The Air India plane that crashed was carrying 242 passengers with, it’s thought, just a single person surviving the impact.

That man was reported to be Briton Vishwash Kumar Ramesh.

“Thirty seconds after takeoff, there was a loud noise and then the plane crashed. It all happened so quickly,” Mr Ramesh is reported to have told Indian media outlets.

There were 169 Indian nationals, 53 British, seven Portuguese and one Canadian on board, according to the airline.

The aeroplane crashed soon after takeoff into a residential neighbourhood hitting a hotel for doctors.

Authorities have said at least 50 medical students who were in the building are being treated in hospital.