A senior Indian police officer, speaking anonymously on Saturday, confirmed that 279 bodies have been recovered from the wreckage of the catastrophic Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad.
The revised death toll, up from an earlier count of 265, now ranks the tragedy among the deadliest aviation disasters in the 21st century.
The crash occurred when an Air India flight bound for London’s Gatwick Airport plummeted into a densely populated residential neighborhood shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad airport.
Tragically, only one of the 242 individuals on board the aircraft survived the crash.
Adding to the devastation, at least 38 residents on the ground lost their lives as the aircraft tore through several homes minutes after departure.
Authorities emphasized that the final casualty figure remains uncertain pending the completion of DNA identification efforts.
Air India reported that those on board included 169 Indian nationals, 53 Britons, seven Portuguese citizens, one Canadian, and 12 crew members.
The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner had issued a mayday call moments before the Thursday midday crash. The aircraft had ascended just 100 meters (approximately 330 feet) before it abruptly descended.
Investigators recovered one of the plane’s black box recorders from the crash site on Friday. Forensic teams are continuing the search for the second unit.
Boeing, the U.S.-based manufacturer of the aircraft, acknowledged the incident in a statement, saying it was in contact with Air India and was “ready to support them.”
A source close to the investigation confirmed that this is the first-ever crash involving a Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
