From MH370’s disappearance to AI171’s deadly crash: What really happened in the world’s worst air disasters of recent years

Every aviation disaster tells a story, of lives lost mid-air, of grieving families, of questions that never get answered. The tragic crash of Air India Flight AI171 in Ahmedabad, which claimed many lives just minutes after take-off, has once again jolted the world.

As the world mourns the passengers and crew of AI171, this moment brings back haunting memories of some of the deadliest air crashes in recent years, from planes disappearing into thin air to shocking mid-air collisions. Here's a look back at the tragedies that shook global aviation before AI171.

2025: Two Major Tragedies

USA: On 29 January, an American Airlines regional jet collided mid-air with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter near Washington D.C., killing over 60 people. The wreckage landed in the icy Potomac River, adding to rescue difficulties.


India: Air India Flight AI171, en route to London, crashed shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad, killing 241 of the 242 people on board. Investigations are currently underway.

2024: A Devastating Year for Aviation

South Korea: Jeju Air’s Flight 7C2216 crashed while landing at Muan International Airport on 29 December, killing 179 people. It was South Korea’s worst-ever air disaster.

Kazakhstan: On 25 December, Azerbaijan Airlines Flight J2-8243 went down after a suspected accidental shooting while diverted to Kazakhstan. Thirty-eight lives were lost.

Japan: On 2 January, a Japan Airlines plane hit a Coast Guard aircraft on Tokyo’s Haneda runway. While all 379 passengers escaped, five of six Coast Guard crew died.

2022: Tragedy in China

China: A China Eastern Airlines flight crashed into the mountains of Guangxi on 21 March, killing all 132 on board. It became China’s worst aviation tragedy in 28 years.

2020: Shot Down by Mistake

Iran: A Ukraine International Airlines jet was accidentally shot down by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards on 8 January, killing all 176 people aboard. A misaligned radar and human error were blamed.

2019–2018: Boeing 737 MAX Crashes

Ethiopia (2019): Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET302 crashed soon after takeoff from Addis Ababa, killing all 157 people.
Indonesia (2018): Lion Air Flight JT610 crashed into the Java Sea, killing all 189 on board.

Both involved the Boeing 737 MAX, leading to a worldwide grounding of the aircraft model.

2014: The Malaysia Airlines Double Blow

MH17: Shot down over Ukraine on 17 July, killing all 298 on board.
MH370: Vanished on 8 March with 239 people on board. Despite years of search efforts, the aircraft has never been found.