A devastating plane crash in the Indian city of Ahmedabad on Thursday has claimed the lives of at least 260 people, including those on board and residents on the ground, after an Air India Dreamliner bound for London crashed shortly after takeoff.
In a rare glimmer of hope amid the tragedy, authorities confirmed that one passenger survived.
The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, operating as Flight 171, was en route to Gatwick Airport, London, carrying 242 people, including 169 Indians, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese citizens, and one Canadian.
The aircraft issued a mayday call moments after departure and then plummeted into a densely populated residential area, igniting a massive blaze and leveling parts of a medical hostel where doctors and students lived.
Eyewitnesses described scenes of horror and chaos.
An AFP journalist at the site reported burned bodies being pulled from the wreckage, with the back section of the plane left dangling over a damaged building.
Thick black smoke filled the air, and rescuers used sniffer dogs to search through the debris.
Resident Krishna, a local doctor, said, “One half of the plane crashed into the residential building where doctors lived with their families.
The nose and front wheel landed on the canteen where students were having lunch.”
He added that he saw “15 to 20 burnt bodies” and helped rescue several students.
Ahmedabad police commissioner Vidhi Chaudhary confirmed the death toll at 260, with at least 19 people killed on the ground.
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the incident as “heartbreaking beyond words,” while leaders around the world, including UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and King Charles III, expressed their shock and condolences.
In a twist of fate, one British passenger has been confirmed as the sole survivor of the crash.
India’s Home Minister Amit Shah said he spoke directly with the man after visiting him in hospital.
Identified as Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, 40, his family told the Press Association that he was in disbelief.
“He said, ‘I have no idea how I exited the plane,’” his brother Nayan Kumar Ramesh said from Leicester, UK.
Authorities have launched a full investigation into the cause of the crash.
According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the aircraft crashed immediately after takeoff.
The plane’s manufacturer, Boeing, said it is cooperating with Indian investigators and supporting Air India.
The incident marks the first reported crash involving a Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
Experts cautioned against premature speculation but noted that double engine failure, potentially due to bird strikes, was a likely cause.
“The aircraft is designed to fly on one engine,” said Jason Knight, a lecturer in fluid mechanics at the University of Portsmouth.
“A double engine failure shortly after takeoff is rare but possible, especially in the event of a severe bird strike.”
The Tata Group, which owns Air India, announced compensation of 10 million rupees (approximately $117,000) for the families of each deceased victim and pledged to cover medical expenses for the injured.
Candlelight vigils and prayer ceremonies were held across India, with mourners gathering in cities like Patna and Siliguri to pay tribute to the victims.
