Biggest plane crashes in recent world history

Air India passenger plane crashes with 244 aboard
An Air India flight (AI171), which was flying from Ahmedabad to London, crashed just after takeoff. The plane, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, had 244 people on board 232 passengers and 12 crew members.
Authorities in India are investigating after a major plane crash killed many people last week.
Here are the details of other major deadly plane crashes in recent years:
Air India crash 2025: 270 people

FILE - Rescue efforts taking place at the site of the Air India flight crash. (Photo by Saurabh Sirohiya/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
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A London-bound Boeing 787 Air India flight crashed shortly after takeoff on June 12 and killed at least 270 people, including 29 on the ground, in the northwestern city of Ahmedabad. One passenger survived.
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Authorities are investigating what caused the crash.
RELATED: Lone survivor: What we know about the only man to survive the Air India crash
D.C. plane and helicopter crash 2025: 67 people
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The midair crash between an American Airlines jet and a military helicopter in Washington, D.C. earlier this year was the deadliest U.S. plane crash in more than 20 years, killing 67 people.
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The Federal Aviation Administration already had data showing an alarming number of close calls around Ronald Reagan National Airport near Washington, D.C., but didn’t spot the trend.
The agency’s acting administrator has promised improvement and officials are working to separate the airspace.
RELATED: AI used to analyze air traffic risks nationwide following deadly Reagan Airport crash, Duffy says
South Korea plane crash 2024: 179 people
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A Boeing 737 passenger jet crashed into a concrete wall while landing in South Korea in December of 2024, killing 179 people.
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A preliminary accident report released in early 2025 by South Korea’s Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board said that feathers and bird blood stains were found in both engines. Its landing gear had failed to deploy.
READ MORE: Jeju Air plane crash in South Korea kills 179 people
Japan plane crash 2024: 379 survived
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On Jan. 2, 2024, in Japan, a landing plane collided with a smaller Coast Guard aircraft that was awaiting takeoff on a runway at Tokyo’s airport. All 379 passengers aboard the larger flight were safely evacuated. The captain of the coast guard craft escaped with burns but his five crew members died.
What they're saying:
Experts and media described the 18-minute evacuation as "a miracle," praising the airline’s flight crew for their response.
RELATED: Sole survivor: The 4-year-old girl who lived through the 1987 Detroit plane crash
Nepal plane crash 2023: 72 people
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A regional passenger plane with 72 aboard crashed into a gorge while landing at a newly opened airport in a resort town. It was the country’s deadliest airplane accident in three decades.
Air travel safety
Meanwhile:
A string of crashes this year has brought attention to air travel, which remains overwhelmingly safe.
The Source: Information in this article was taken from previous FOX Television Station reportings and The Associated Press. This story was reported from Detroit.