In one of the deadliest aviation disasters in India’s recent history, an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed in the western city of Ahmedabad, claiming the lives of more than 240 people. The aircraft went down in a densely populated area, setting off a chain of destruction and grief that has left the country in mourning.
Among the charred wreckage and twisted metal, one of the aircraft’s two black boxes—the flight data recorder—was recovered from the rooftop of a building hit by the plane. The second black box, the cockpit voice recorder, is still missing, according to BBC news.
UK and US investigators have arrived to assist in the probe, while Air India confirmed full cooperation and transparency while people at the site held a candlelight vigil in memory of the lost lives.
India’s Civil Aviation Minister, Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu, confirmed the development, while the country’s aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), has ordered enhanced safety inspections across Air India’s entire Boeing 787-8 and 787-9 fleet as a precautionary measure.
Amid the widespread loss, one man emerged from the tragedy alive. British national Vishwashkumar Ramesh, the only survivor, recounted the harrowing experience in an emotional interview with India’s state broadcaster, DD News.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the crash site earlier Friday, walking through the blackened debris, before heading to BJ Medical College and Civil Hospital to meet with injured locals and first responders. Eight people living in the vicinity of the crash zone were confirmed dead, according to Dr. Minakshi Parikh, the hospital’s dean. Many others remain hospitalized with serious injuries.
The process of identifying victims has begun. A police official reported that six bodies have been released to grieving families who were able to identify their loved ones by facial features alone — a grim reminder of the intensity of the fireball that followed the crash.
Air India CEO Campbell Wilson visited the crash site, expressing sorrow and pledging £85,000 ($115,000) in compensation per victim, along with full medical expense coverage for the injured. The airline has deployed teams of engineers and caregivers to Ahmedabad and set up assistance centers in four cities, including Delhi, Mumbai, and London.
As night fell, residents of Ahmedabad held a silent candlelight vigil near the crash site. Children and adults walked solemnly through traffic in remembrance of the victims. The area remains sealed off by police, with search and recovery operations continuing under floodlights.
