When the Sky Falls: The Media’s Mediating Role in Crisis and Reputation Management of the Air India Flight 171 Tragedy

Abstract

On June 12, 2025, Air India Flight 171 tragically crashed en route to Mumbai, resulting in over 240 fatalities and widespread collateral damage. The incident swiftly escalated into a national and international crisis, attracting extensive media coverage, heightened public scrutiny, and significant reputational risk for key stakeholders, including Air India, Tata Group, and India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). This study aims to analyse the role of the media as a mediating factor in shaping crisis narratives and managing institutional reputation, guided by Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT) and Agenda-Setting Theory. To achieve this, a qualitative content and sentiment analysis was conducted on over 150 news articles and 1,200 social media comments published within the first week following the crash. The research identified dominant themes in media framing, sentiment polarity, and the extent of public accountability placed on key institutions. Findings indicate that initial media narratives foregrounded technical failures, regulatory lapses, and institutional blame, establishing the dominant discourse early on. Although Air India attempted image repair through public apologies, leadership visibility, and compensation efforts, these strategies were often counteracted by emotionally charged media content and viral critiques. This study concludes that the media played a dual role—not only conveying crisis information but also actively shaping stakeholder reputations. The implications highlight the necessity for proactive, transparent, and emotionally attuned media engagement during crises. The paper offers recommendations for strategic media response protocols and proposes directions for future research in cross-national media framing of aviation disasters.

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