India’s Aviation Tragedies: A History of Loss and Lessons India’s Aviation Tragedies: A History of Loss and Lessons India’s Aviation Tragedies: A History of Loss and Lessons There have been many moments in India’s aviation history when tragedies from the sky have not only shattered families but plunged the entire nation into mourning. Every time air travel is considered “safe,” a major air disaster reminds us that even in the heights of technology, errors can occur—and sometimes, these errors become catastrophic. On January 1, 1978, Air India Flight 855 crashed near the Mumbai coast. The Boeing 747 plunged into the Arabian Sea, killing all 213 on board. The crash was caused by an instrument failure and human error by the pilot. Years later, on June 23, 1985, the deadliest incident in India’s aviation history occurred when Air India Flight 182 exploded mid-air over the Atlantic near Ireland due to a bomb planted by Khalistani extre...