Tragedy struck on Wednesday evening when a London-bound Air India Boeing 787-8 crashed shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad Airport, claiming at least 290 lives, authorities have confirmed.
The aircraft was en route to London’s Gatwick Airport with 242 people on board.
According to the airline, 241 passengers perished, leaving only one known survivor, a British national, who is currently being treated at a hospital.
Local police say the casualty count includes both passengers and people on the ground where the aircraft went down.
The Washington Post cited senior police official Vishaka Dabral, who stated that at least 269 bodies had been taken to the Civil Lines hospital in Ahmedabad.
“We are still verifying the number of dead, including those k!lled in the building where the plane crashed,” said Vidhi Chaudhary, a senior police officer, in a statement to Reuters.
The lone survivor, identified as Vishwashkumar Ramesh, was seated in 11A, near an emergency exit, which may have contributed to his escape.
Speaking from the general ward of Asarwa Civil Hospital, he recounted the chaos in a deeply emotional account to the Hindustan Times.
“It all happened so quickly,” Ramesh said. “When I got up, there were bodies all around me. I was scared. I stood up and ran. There were pieces of the plane all around me.”
“Someone grabbed hold of me and put me in an ambulance and brought me to the hospital.”
Ramesh, who suffered impact injuries to his chest, eyes, and feet, added that his brother, Ajay, was also on the flight, though seated in another row.
He said he has been unable to locate him since the crash.
“He was travelling with me and I can’t find him anymore. Please help me find him,” he pleaded.
Emergency crews continue to recover bodies and search for any possible survivors as investigations into the cause of the disaster are underway.
Authorities say more updates will follow once casualty identifications and forensics are complete.
