A Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner from Air India with 242 people on board, including 12 crew members, crashed on Thursday morning shortly after taking off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad, in the Indian state of Gujarat.
The flight AI171 was destined for London-Gatwick Airport, but it crashed five minutes after takeoff, erupting in flames in the residential area of Meghani Nagar.
Besides the passengers, there were reports of casualties on the ground, as the plane struck a university residence associated with BJ Medical Hospital.
Local authorities have confirmed more than 100 bodies recovered so far and dozens of injured.
The miracle of seat 11A: the only survivor of flight AI-171
Amid the air tragedy that occurred in Ahmedabad, the police confirmed the discovery of a sole survivor among the 242 people on board Air India flight AI-171.
The passenger was found alive in seat 11A of the economy class, an area of the plane that, although severely damaged, did not completely disintegrate during the impact.
The survivor was identified as Viswashkumar Ramesh, a British citizen.
After being rescued, he was immediately taken to a hospital, where he is receiving medical attention.
Although details about his health status have not been provided, the authorities described his rescue as a true miracle, given the condition of the aircraft.
A tragic descent
The images of the accident, captured by neighbors and shared on social media, show the plane descending slowly, followed by a massive explosion.
A video, verified by the AP agency, reveals how the aircraft disappears behind some houses before transforming into "a gigantic fireball."
The site of the impact was described as a chaotic scene: "there were charred bodies on the ground and pieces of the fuselage scattered around."
The tail cone of the airplane became embedded in the upper part of a building.
Victims and those affected
Air India reported that there were 169 Indian citizens, 53 British, 7 Portuguese, and 1 Canadian on board the flight. Among the deceased, the former Chief Minister of Gujarat, Vijay Rupani, has been confirmed.
The accident also left at least five medical students dead and more than 50 injured on the scene, many of them in critical condition, according to the Federation of Medical Associations of India.
There are fears that some may still be trapped under the rubble.
The airplane and its history
The crashed aircraft was a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, considered one of the safest models in modern commercial aviation.
This accident marks the first fatal incident on this line since its introduction in 2011.
Boeing confirmed: “We are aware of the initial reports and are working to gather more information.”
The manufacturer was already facing a reputation crisis following the 737 Max accidents in 2018 and 2019.
Following the news of this tragedy, Boeing's stock fell by more than 8% on the U.S. stock market.
Reaction of the authorities
The Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, expressed his sorrow on social media: “The tragedy in Ahmedabad has shocked and saddened us. It is heartbreaking, indescribable.”
The Ministry of Civil Aviation stated that all agencies are on high alert and that operations at the airport have been suspended.
For its part, Air India activated an emergency center and offered a direct line for families.
The CEO, Campbell Wilson, stated: "We are actively working with the authorities in all emergency response efforts."
The Tata Group conglomerate, which has owned Air India since its privatization in 2022, announced a compensation of ₹1 crore (approximately US$116,868) per victim and pledged to cover medical expenses and rebuild the destroyed university residence.
International impact
The accident has had repercussions beyond India.
The British Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, described the situation as "devastating" and assured that his government would provide "all the support it can."
Canada's Prime Minister, Mark Carney, also stated that he was "devastated," confirming that a Canadian citizen was among the deceased.
Portugal also confirmed that it is following the case of the seven Portuguese on board, some of whom have dual nationality.
Ongoing multinational research
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation of India is leading the investigation but will have the collaboration of international bodies.
The airplane issued a distress call to air traffic control shortly after takeoff, but lost contact soon thereafter.
The U.S. NTSB and the U.K. AAIB sent multidisciplinary teams to India, in accordance with Annex 13 of the ICAO, which establishes international cooperation in aviation accidents.
The preliminary report must be issued within the next 30 days.
Background and context
This accident brings back memories of other air disasters in India. In 2020, an Air India Express Boeing 737 skidded off the runway in Kozhikode, resulting in 21 fatalities.
The worst accident on Indian soil occurred in 1996, with 349 fatalities due to the collision of two aircraft in mid-flight.
The tragedy occurs just a few days before the Paris Air Show, a key event for manufacturers like Boeing and Airbus.
The reputational blow for Boeing, which has suffered losses of over $39 billion since 2019, is worsened by this new tragedy.
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