A catastrophic crash involving an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner occurred on Thursday in Ahmedabad, India, killing at least 265 people, including passengers onboard and residents on the ground. The London-bound flight AI171 took off from Ahmedabad International Airport but crashed shortly after, barely reaching 100 meters altitude.
On Friday, investigators recovered one of the aircraft’s black boxes, a key element that will help unravel the cause of the crash. Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu emphasized that the data recorder will “significantly aid” the investigation.
The sole survivor, British citizen Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, shared his ordeal, saying, “Initially, I too thought that I was about to die, but then I opened my eyes and realised that I was still alive.” The plane’s impact destroyed a canteen building where medical students were having lunch, adding to the death toll on the ground.
Deputy Commissioner Kanan Desai confirmed 265 bodies recovered, with at least 24 ground fatalities. Home Minister Amit Shah noted that DNA testing will finalize the official death count, including samples from relatives abroad.
The flight carried 169 Indian passengers, 53 British, seven Portuguese, one Canadian, and 12 crew members. Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the site and the survivor, underscoring the tragedy’s national significance.
Eyewitness accounts described bodies burnt to the extent of resembling coal and the aircraft’s tail embedded in a hostel’s second floor. Rescue teams worked through the night to recover remains and crucial aircraft debris.
Experts suggest the crash may have resulted from a double engine failure, possibly due to a bird strike, as the 787 Dreamliner is capable of flying on a single engine. Following the crash, India’s aviation authority ordered enhanced safety inspections of Air India’s Boeing 787 fleet with GEnx engines.
This is the first fatal crash involving the Boeing 787 Dreamliner since its introduction in 2011. International investigators from the UK and US are assisting Indian authorities as the country’s aviation market continues to expand rapidly.
