More than 240 people were killed on Thursday when an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner en route to London's Gatwick Airport crashed just minutes after taking off from Ahmedabad, slamming into a medical college hostel and erupting into flames.
Authorities said the devastating crash claimed the lives of passengers, crew, and dozens on the ground, many of them students having lunch inside the hostel at the time of impact.
"We are still verifying the number of dead, including those killed in the building where the plane crashed," Vidhi Chaudhary, a top state police officer, told Reuters.
Although a death toll of 290 was reported, authorities later adjusted it to over 240, explaining that the initial figure of 294 was inflated due to duplicate counts of remains. Officials have yet to determine how many of the deceased were passengers versus those killed on the ground.
The aircraft, carrying 242 people—including 217 adults, 11 children, and two infants—plummeted shortly after its 1:39 p.m. (0809 GMT) departure. Officials say the pilot issued a Mayday alert, but communications ceased moments later.
The tail of the aircraft protruded from the top of the scorched hostel building, while twisted metal and smoldering debris blanketed the site.
A Sole Survivor Speaks
One man, identified as Ramesh Viswashkumar, survived. Speaking from his hospital bed, the 40-year-old recounted the horror.
"Thirty seconds after takeoff, there was a loud noise and then the plane crashed. It all happened so quickly," he told the Hindustan Times. "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 was seated in 11A by the emergency exit, said his brother Ajay was traveling with him. "I can't find him anymore. Please help me find him," he pleaded.
Victims and National Mourning
Among the victims was Vijay Rupani, former Chief Minister of Gujarat. Authorities are using DNA samples to identify the deceased as family members anxiously wait at hospitals and airports.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a native of Gujarat, called the tragedy "heartbreaking beyond words." British Prime Minister Keir Starmer also expressed condolences, while King Charles was being updated, according to Buckingham Palace.
The manifest included 169 Indian nationals, 53 Britons, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian.
Questions Over Aircraft Condition
The crash marks the first fatal incident involving a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, considered one of the most advanced passenger aircraft globally. The aircraft was delivered to Air India in 2014.
Aviation analysts are now scrutinizing footage showing the landing gear down during takeoff—a possible indication of mechanical failure.
"If you didn't know what was happening, you'd think the plane was coming in to land," said US aerospace safety consultant Anthony Brickhouse.
Boeing, GE Aerospace, and India's civil aviation authorities are launching investigations, with US experts from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) set to arrive in India.
Chaos and Grief on the Ground
Eyewitnesses described a fireball rising behind residential blocks moments after the aircraft vanished from view. Ramila, whose son was inside the hostel, said, "He jumped from the second floor... he's injured, but alive."
Ahmedabad Airport, temporarily shut down, has resumed limited operations. The Adani Group, which manages the airport, is coordinating with emergency services and investigators.
Air India and Safety Concerns
This tragedy comes just five years after India's last major air crash in 2020. Air India, which was privatized in 2022 under the Tata Group and merged with Vistara in 2024, has not recorded a fatal accident since that time—until now.
As families mourn and investigations unfold, questions mount over what went wrong aboard a flight that was supposed to carry hundreds safely across continents, but instead plunged into devastation just moments after takeoff.
