At least 290 people are dead after a passenger plane crashed on departure at an airport in Ahmedabad, India, health officials said. The plane, en route to London, hit a hostel for doctors when it crashed, and images show its tail protruding from the building. The death toll includes people on the plane and others on the ground, police said.
Sole survivor: A total of 241 of the 242 people aboard the Air India flight were killed in the crash, the airline said. A single British national passenger survived.
Boeing’s response: The plane was a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, according to Flightradar24. It’s the first major incident involving the aircraft. Boeing said it is ready to support Air India.
Safety record: Air India has seen a few rare but high-profile plane crashes through the years. Previous accidents have spurred Indian authorities to improve its safety and infrastructure, but challenges remain.
Investigation: India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has initiated a formal investigation, according to Union Minister of Civil Aviation Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu. Aviation officials from the US and UK are sending investigators to assist with the probe.
Boeing chief offers “full support” to India: Boeing’s president and CEO Kelly Ortberg said he spoke to Air India Chair N. Chandrasekaran after the crash. He said he offered the chair “our full support” and told him “a Boeing team stands ready to support the investigation led by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau,” according to a statement.
A look at Boeing's recent troubles after Air India crash
Video shows sole survivor walking away from site of plane crash
Video appears to show the sole survivor walking away from the rubble after an Air India flight carrying 230 passengers and 12 crew members crashed, killing all on board except him.
The British family of the sole survivor of the Air India crash have spoken to him from his hospital bed, where he said he is “fine.”
Air India confirmed the British man of Indian origin, named by the Hindustan Times as Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, was the only survivor on the plane carrying 242 people.
Ramesh was sitting next to his brother on the flight, his cousin Ajay Valgi told reporters on Thursday outside their family home in Leicester in England’s Midlands.
“Yes at least the family is happy that he’s ok but we’re still upset about the brother,” Valgi said.
“We are absolutely upset (about) things, not just because he’s our brother, but (because of) other people as well. There were 242 people on the flight, so obviously it’s not good news is it?” the cousin added.
Boeing CEO Cancels Plan to Attend Paris Air Show
Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg has canceled plans to attend the Paris Air Show next week following the crash of the 787-8 Dreamliner in India, Reuters reported Thursday.
Ortberg said the company will fully support the US National Transportation Safety Board and India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau in their investigative process, according to Reuters.
INDIA'S FIRST CRASH SINCE 2020
Ahmedabad Airport, which suspended all flight operations after the crash, said it was operational again but with limited flights. The airport is operated by India's Adani Group conglomerate.
The last fatal plane crash in India, the world's third largest aviation market and its fastest growing, was in 2020 and involved Air India Express, the airline's low-cost arm.
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The airline's Boeing-737 overshot a "table-top" runway in southern India, skidded and plunged into a valley, crashing nose-first into the ground and killing 21 people.
The formerly state-owned Air India was taken over by Indian conglomerate Tata Group in 2022, and merged with Vistara - a joint venture between the group and Singapore Airlines – in 2024.
Source: With inputs from agencies