🕰 Mid-century (1947–1966)

• A time of frequent accidents as civil aviation was still developing.

• Crashes often involved older aircraft and poor visibility.

• Hundreds of lives lost cumulatively during this era.

💥 1978–1985: High-Fatality Era

• Flight 855 (1978): Crashed into the Arabian Sea after takeoff from Bombay, killing 213 passengers and crew.

• Air India Flight 182 (1985): A terrorist bombing over the Atlantic Ocean resulted in 329 fatalities, including 268 Canadians.

• This remains India’s worst aviation disaster and one of the deadliest terror attacks involving a commercial aircraft.

✈️ Late 1980s–1990s

• Notable crashes include runway overruns and airspace conflicts.

• Smaller but deadly accidents collectively led to over 500 deaths in the decade.

• Lack of modern safety infrastructure was a major cause.

🔧 2000s Onward: Modernization With Tragedy

Despite improved safety standards, the following major accidents led to heavy loss of life:

• Mangalore (2010): Air India Express Flight 812 overshot the runway and plunged into a gorge.

  • 158 people died; only 8 survived.

• Kozhikode (2020): Flight 1344 skidded off a tabletop runway during heavy rain.

  • 21 fatalities, including both pilots and passengers.

⚫ 2025 – Air India Flight AI 171 Crash

• The first hull loss of a Boeing 787 Dreamliner and a major setback for Air India’s mainline operations.

• The crash resulted in over 100 confirmed deaths, making it the deadliest Indian aviation disaster in over three decades.

• Many of the victims were medical professionals and students, as the plane struck a doctor’s hostel near B.J. Medical College, Ahmedabad.

• The tragedy has triggered international investigations, market impacts, and renewed scrutiny of aviation oversight.