The death toll from the Air India passenger jet crash in Ahmedabad has risen to 279, making it one of the deadliest aviation disasters of the 21st century.
A senior police official in Ahmedabad, speaking anonymously to the press on Saturday, confirmed the updated figure, which includes 242 people aboard the flight and at least 38 fatalities on the ground. Only one person on the aircraft survived the catastrophic crash.
The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, en route to London’s Gatwick Airport, crashed shortly after takeoff on Thursday, plowing into a densely populated residential area near the airport. The impact caused extensive destruction and loss of life among residents.
Air India disclosed that the passengers included 169 Indians, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese, one Canadian, and 12 crew members.
The jet issued a mayday call moments after liftoff, reaching only about 100 metres (330 feet) before losing control. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
So far, one of the plane’s black box recorders has been recovered, while search teams continue to comb through the wreckage to find the second. The official death toll will remain provisional until DNA identification of all victims is complete.
Boeing, the aircraft’s manufacturer, stated that it is in close contact with Air India and is “ready to support them” during the investigation. A source familiar with the case noted this appears to be the first fatal crash involving a Boeing 787 Dreamliner since the model entered commercial service in 2011.
What you should know
The Ahmedabad crash marks a tragic moment in global aviation history, not only for the scale of loss but also for the implications it may have for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner series.
Investigators are now under intense pressure to determine what caused a modern aircraft to fail so catastrophically within seconds of takeoff.
