Investigators recovered the black box on Friday from the wreckage of an Air India Dreamliner that crashed in a densely populated area of Ahmedabad, killing at least 265 people both on board and on the ground.
The London-bound Boeing 787-8 issued a mayday shortly after takeoff on Thursday and crashed just minutes later, having barely cleared 100 metres in altitude. The aircraft struck multiple buildings, including a hostel for medical staff and a student canteen, leaving parts of the fuselage embedded in structures.
Of the 242 people on board, only one — British citizen Vishwash Kumar Ramesh — survived. Speaking from his hospital bed, Ramesh recalled, “It felt like something got stuck. Then the lights changed, and everything happened so fast.” He suffered burns and other injuries.
Deputy Police Commissioner Kanan Desai said 265 bodies had been recovered, suggesting at least 24 fatalities occurred on the ground. Home Minister Amit Shah said official figures would be confirmed after DNA testing, including samples from relatives abroad.
Air India confirmed the passengers included 169 Indians, 53 Britons, seven Portuguese nationals, one Canadian, and 12 crew members.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the crash site and met with victims’ families and the sole survivor in hospital.
At an emergency center in Ahmedabad, grief-stricken families gathered to provide DNA samples. One woman, whose son-in-law was killed, sobbed: “My daughter doesn’t know he’s gone. I can’t tell her — someone else must.”
Eyewitnesses and volunteers described a horrifying scene. “The bodies were like coal,” said Bharat Solanki, who rushed from a nearby fuel station.
Ahmedabad, a city of 8 million, is surrounded by crowded residential zones near its airport. A local doctor said half the aircraft landed on a building housing medical professionals and their families.
Boeing said it was supporting Air India and authorities. This is believed to be the first fatal crash involving a 787 Dreamliner.
The U.S. and U.K. aviation safety boards are sending teams to assist India’s investigation.
Air India’s parent company, Tata Group, announced compensation of ₹10 million ($117,000) to the families of the deceased and pledged to cover medical costs for the injured.
Aviation experts urged caution on speculating about the cause, though one noted that a double engine failure — possibly due to a bird strike — was the most plausible scenario. “The aircraft is designed to fly on one engine,” said fluid mechanics expert Jason Knight.
India, now the world’s fourth-largest aviation market, has seen explosive growth in air travel. But Thursday’s crash is a stark reminder of the risks in a rapidly expanding industry. The country has a tragic history of air disasters, including a 2010 crash that killed 158 and a 1996 mid-air collision that claimed nearly 350 lives.
AFP
