9am News report has confirmed that Air India Flight 171, en route from London to Mumbai, crashed into a residential area in Ahmedabad, India on Thursday, killing 265 people, including residents on the ground. Only one passenger survived out of 242 passengers and crew members aboard.
According to Kanan Desai, a senior police official, the crash site revealed a grim picture with bodies of medical students, doctors, and residents who were at the hostel the aircraft slammed into. The nose of the aircraft reportedly lodged into a canteen where many were having lunch at the time of the impact.
Grieving families have been asked to submit DNA samples to help identify the victims, as many bodies were badly disfigured. India’s Home Minister Amit Shah confirmed that the final death toll would be determined only after these tests are completed.
One of the aircraft’s two black boxes has been recovered, and India’s civil aviation minister, Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu, announced a full-scale investigation following international aviation protocols. The investigation will include input from:
- UK’s Air Accidents Investigation Branch
- US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)
- Aircraft manufacturer Boeing
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the crash site and later stopped at a local hospital to meet survivors. He described the incident as “saddening” and lauded the rescue teams and medical staff working tirelessly.
“Our thoughts remain with those who lost their loved ones in this unimaginable tragedy,” Modi posted on X.
The only survivor, British national Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, is currently receiving treatment at a hospital in Ahmedabad. Medical officials say he suffered multiple injuries and is disoriented but expected to recover.
Air India CEO Campbell Wilson visited the crash site but refrained from speaking to the media. In an official statement, he expressed “deep sorrow” and confirmed that family assistance centers have been set up at:
- Gatwick
- Mumbai
- Delhi
- Ahmedabad
Tata Group, owners of Air India, have announced a compensation package of 10 million rupees (about $117,000 USD) per victim, along with medical coverage for the injured.
Meanwhile, Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg cancelled his attendance at the upcoming Paris Air Show, and the company’s shares dropped by nearly 5% following the incident. However, US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy stated that there was no immediate indication of faults with the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, pending further investigation.
The Air India Flight 171 crash has left the nation and the world mourning a tragedy of unimaginable scale. As rescue operations and identification efforts continue, global attention remains fixed on the investigation and support for the grieving families.
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