
No Australians believed dead in Air India plane crash
No Australian citizens or residents are believed to have been in a plane crash that killed more than 240 people in India's west.
The aviation disaster in the city of Ahmedabad was the worst the world has seen in a decade.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong said Australia's thoughts were with all those affected by the crash.
"I know I speak for all Australians when I say this is heartbreaking," she told reporters on Friday.
"I had a message exchange with (External Affairs Minister) Dr Jaishankar, expressing the condolences of Australians to him.
"We also think of our good friends in the United Kingdom and in many other countries. It is a devastating and distressing day for these two countries and many others."
More than 200 bodies have been recovered from the crash site, but authorities say some of those may be people killed on the ground.
The aircraft passengers included 217 adults, 11 children and two infants, a source told Reuters.
Of those, 169 were Indian nationals, 53 were Britons, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian, according to Air India's latest advice.
Senator Wong said she had not been advised that any Australians were on board but diplomatic staff were closely engaging with Indian authorities.
"We've not had any anyone reach out for consular assistance. Obviously, we stand ready to provide support to Australians as required," she said.
The Australian High Commission in New Delhi and the Consulate-General in Mumbai were following up with local authorities to determine whether there were any Australians on board, the Department of Foreign Affairs said.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the disaster was devastating.
"In this time of tragedy, Australia's thoughts are with everyone affected," he posted on the social media platform X.
The Air India plane was heading to London's Gatwick Airport when it crashed just minutes after take-off.
The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner came down in a residential area, crashing onto a medical college hostel outside the airport during lunch hour.
Only one passenger survived the crash, Air India confirmed.
Thirty seconds after take-off, there was a loud noise and then the plane crashed," 40-year-old survivor Ramesh Viswashkumar told the Hindustan Times from his hospital bed.
"It all happened so quickly. When I got up, there were bodies all around me.
"I was scared. I stood up and ran. There were pieces of the plane all around me."
with Reuters
No Australian citizens or residents are believed to have been in a plane crash that killed more than 240 people in India's west.
The aviation disaster in the city of Ahmedabad was the worst the world has seen in a decade.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong said Australia's thoughts were with all those affected by the crash.
"I know I speak for all Australians when I say this is heartbreaking," she told reporters on Friday.
"I had a message exchange with (External Affairs Minister) Dr Jaishankar, expressing the condolences of Australians to him.
"We also think of our good friends in the United Kingdom and in many other countries. It is a devastating and distressing day for these two countries and many others."
More than 200 bodies have been recovered from the crash site, but authorities say some of those may be people killed on the ground.
The aircraft passengers included 217 adults, 11 children and two infants, a source told Reuters.
Of those, 169 were Indian nationals, 53 were Britons, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian, according to Air India's latest advice.
Senator Wong said she had not been advised that any Australians were on board but diplomatic staff were closely engaging with Indian authorities.
"We've not had any anyone reach out for consular assistance. Obviously, we stand ready to provide support to Australians as required," she said.
The Australian High Commission in New Delhi and the Consulate-General in Mumbai were following up with local authorities to determine whether there were any Australians on board, the Department of Foreign Affairs said.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the disaster was devastating.
"In this time of tragedy, Australia's thoughts are with everyone affected," he posted on the social media platform X.
The Air India plane was heading to London's Gatwick Airport when it crashed just minutes after take-off.
The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner came down in a residential area, crashing onto a medical college hostel outside the airport during lunch hour.
Only one passenger survived the crash, Air India confirmed.
Thirty seconds after take-off, there was a loud noise and then the plane crashed," 40-year-old survivor Ramesh Viswashkumar told the Hindustan Times from his hospital bed.
"It all happened so quickly. When I got up, there were bodies all around me.
"I was scared. I stood up and ran. There were pieces of the plane all around me."
with Reuters
No Australian citizens or residents are believed to have been in a plane crash that killed more than 240 people in India's west.
The aviation disaster in the city of Ahmedabad was the worst the world has seen in a decade.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong said Australia's thoughts were with all those affected by the crash.
"I know I speak for all Australians when I say this is heartbreaking," she told reporters on Friday.
"I had a message exchange with (External Affairs Minister) Dr Jaishankar, expressing the condolences of Australians to him.
"We also think of our good friends in the United Kingdom and in many other countries. It is a devastating and distressing day for these two countries and many others."
More than 200 bodies have been recovered from the crash site, but authorities say some of those may be people killed on the ground.
The aircraft passengers included 217 adults, 11 children and two infants, a source told Reuters.
Of those, 169 were Indian nationals, 53 were Britons, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian, according to Air India's latest advice.
Senator Wong said she had not been advised that any Australians were on board but diplomatic staff were closely engaging with Indian authorities.
"We've not had any anyone reach out for consular assistance. Obviously, we stand ready to provide support to Australians as required," she said.
The Australian High Commission in New Delhi and the Consulate-General in Mumbai were following up with local authorities to determine whether there were any Australians on board, the Department of Foreign Affairs said.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the disaster was devastating.
"In this time of tragedy, Australia's thoughts are with everyone affected," he posted on the social media platform X.
The Air India plane was heading to London's Gatwick Airport when it crashed just minutes after take-off.
The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner came down in a residential area, crashing onto a medical college hostel outside the airport during lunch hour.
Only one passenger survived the crash, Air India confirmed.
Thirty seconds after take-off, there was a loud noise and then the plane crashed," 40-year-old survivor Ramesh Viswashkumar told the Hindustan Times from his hospital bed.
"It all happened so quickly. When I got up, there were bodies all around me.
"I was scared. I stood up and ran. There were pieces of the plane all around me."
with Reuters
No Australian citizens or residents are believed to have been in a plane crash that killed more than 240 people in India's west.
The aviation disaster in the city of Ahmedabad was the worst the world has seen in a decade.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong said Australia's thoughts were with all those affected by the crash.
"I know I speak for all Australians when I say this is heartbreaking," she told reporters on Friday.
"I had a message exchange with (External Affairs Minister) Dr Jaishankar, expressing the condolences of Australians to him.
"We also think of our good friends in the United Kingdom and in many other countries. It is a devastating and distressing day for these two countries and many others."
More than 200 bodies have been recovered from the crash site, but authorities say some of those may be people killed on the ground.
The aircraft passengers included 217 adults, 11 children and two infants, a source told Reuters.
Of those, 169 were Indian nationals, 53 were Britons, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian, according to Air India's latest advice.
Senator Wong said she had not been advised that any Australians were on board but diplomatic staff were closely engaging with Indian authorities.
"We've not had any anyone reach out for consular assistance. Obviously, we stand ready to provide support to Australians as required," she said.
The Australian High Commission in New Delhi and the Consulate-General in Mumbai were following up with local authorities to determine whether there were any Australians on board, the Department of Foreign Affairs said.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the disaster was devastating.
"In this time of tragedy, Australia's thoughts are with everyone affected," he posted on the social media platform X.
The Air India plane was heading to London's Gatwick Airport when it crashed just minutes after take-off.
The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner came down in a residential area, crashing onto a medical college hostel outside the airport during lunch hour.
Only one passenger survived the crash, Air India confirmed.
Thirty seconds after take-off, there was a loud noise and then the plane crashed," 40-year-old survivor Ramesh Viswashkumar told the Hindustan Times from his hospital bed.
"It all happened so quickly. When I got up, there were bodies all around me.
"I was scared. I stood up and ran. There were pieces of the plane all around me."
with Reuters
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


West Australian
2 hours ago
- West Australian
Air India crash: Woman says traffic jam meant she missed being on doomed flight by minutes
A woman has revealed she missed boarding the doomed Air India plane by mere minutes after being delayed in a traffic jam. Bhoomi Chauhan, 28, says she was meant to be on the flight that crashed soon after take-off from Ahmedabad on Thursday, killing all but one person on board. The Bristol woman told BBC Gujarati that she had been in India on holiday and was scheduled to fly home on the flight headed to Gatwick Airport but airline officials would not let her board after she arrived late. Ms Chauhan said she was initially angry at missing her flight but now calls it a 'miracle'. 'We got very angry with our driver and left the airport in frustration,' she told BBC . 'I was very disappointed. We left the airport and stood at a place to drink tea and after a while, before leaving... we were talking to the travel agent about how to get a refund for the ticket. 'There, I got a call that the plane had gone down.' BBC reports it checked the business administration student's digital boarding pass and it showed she had been allocated seat 36G. The airline said 230 passengers and 12 crew were on board when the plane went down — 169 Indian nationals, 53 British, seven Portuguese and one Canadian. Just one passenger, British national Vishwashkumar Ramesh, survived the crash. 'When I missed the flight, I was dejected,' Ms Chauhan said. 'Only thing that I had in mind was, 'If I had started a little early, I would have boarded the plane'. 'This is totally a miracle for me.'


Perth Now
2 hours ago
- Perth Now
‘Miracle': Reason woman missed doomed flight by minutes
A woman has revealed she missed boarding the doomed Air India plane by mere minutes after being delayed in a traffic jam. Bhoomi Chauhan, 28, says she was meant to be on the flight that crashed soon after take-off from Ahmedabad on Thursday, killing all but one person on board. The Bristol woman told BBC Gujarati that she had been in India on holiday and was scheduled to fly home on the flight headed to Gatwick Airport but airline officials would not let her board after she arrived late. Bhoomi Chauhan says it's a 'miracle' she wasn't on the doomed flight. Credit: x Ms Chauhan said she was initially angry at missing her flight but now calls it a 'miracle'. 'We got very angry with our driver and left the airport in frustration,' she told BBC. 'I was very disappointed. We left the airport and stood at a place to drink tea and after a while, before leaving... we were talking to the travel agent about how to get a refund for the ticket. 'There, I got a call that the plane had gone down.' The Air India plane went down minutes after take-off. Credit: Unknown / X formerly Twitter BBC reports it checked the business administration student's digital boarding pass and it showed she had been allocated seat 36G. The airline said 230 passengers and 12 crew were on board when the plane went down — 169 Indian nationals, 53 British, seven Portuguese and one Canadian. Just one passenger, British national Vishwashkumar Ramesh, survived the crash. PM Narendra Modi meets crash survivor Vishwaskumar Ramesh. Credit: x 'When I missed the flight, I was dejected,' Ms Chauhan said. 'Only thing that I had in mind was, 'If I had started a little early, I would have boarded the plane'. 'This is totally a miracle for me.'

ABC News
4 hours ago
- ABC News
Just one man survived the Air India crash. What's it like to survive a mass disaster?
Viswashkumar Ramesh, a British citizen returning from a trip to India, has been confirmed as the only survivor of Thursday's deadly Air India crash. "I don't know how I am alive," Ramesh told family, according to his brother Nayan, in a video call moments after emerging from the wreckage. Another brother Ajay, seated elsewhere on the plane, was killed. The Boeing 787-7 Dreamliner crashed into a medical college less than a minute after taking off in the city of Ahmedabad, killing the other 229 passengers and 12 crew. Several more people were killed on the ground. Surviving a mass disaster of this kind may be hailed as a kind of "miracle". But what is it like to survive — especially as the only one? Past research has shown disaster survivors may experience an intense range of emotions, from grief and anxiety to feelings of loss and uncertainty. These are common reactions to an extraordinary situation. Some people may develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and have difficulty adjusting to a new reality after bearing witness to immense loss. They may also be dealing with physical recovery from injuries sustained in the disaster. Most people recover after disasters by drawing on their own strengths and the support of others. Recovery rates are high: generally less than one in ten of those affected by disasters develop chronic, long-term problems. However, being a sole survivor of a mass casualty may have its own complex psychological challenges. Survivors can experience guilt they lived when others died. My friend, Gill Hicks, spoke to me for this article about the ongoing guilt she still feels, years after surviving the 2005 bombings of the London underground. Lying trapped in a smoke-filled train carriage, she was the last living person to be rescued after the attack. Gill lost both her legs. Yet she still wonders, "Why me? Why did I get to go home, when so many others didn't?" In the case of a sole survivor, this guilt may be particularly acute. However, research addressing the impact of sole survivorship is limited. Most research that looks at the psychological impact of disaster focuses on the impact of disasters more broadly. Those interviewed for a 2013 documentary about surviving large plane crashes, Sole Survivor, express complex feelings — wanting to share their stories, but fearing being judged by others. Being the lone survivor can be a heavy burden. "I didn't think I was worthy of the gift of being alive," George Lamson Jr told the documentary, after surviving a 1985 plane crash in Nevada that killed all others on board. People who survive a disaster may also be under pressure to explain what happened and relive the trauma for the benefit of others. Viswashkumar Ramesh was filmed and interviewed by media in the minutes and hours following the Air India crash. But as he told his brother: "I have no idea how I exited the plane." It can be common for survivors themselves to be plagued by unanswerable questions. Did they live for a reason? Why did they live, when so many others died? These kinds of unanswerable questions reflect our natural inclination to look for meaning in experiences, and to have our life stories make sense. For some people, sharing a traumatic experience with others who've been through it or something similar can be a beneficial part of the recovery process, helping to process emotions and regain some agency and control. However, this may not always be possible for sole survivors, potentially compounding feelings of guilt and isolation. Survivor guilt can be an expression of grief and loss. Studies indicate guilt is notably widespread among individuals who have experienced traumatic events, and it is associated with heightened psychopathological symptoms (such as severe anxiety, insomnia or flashbacks) and thoughts of suicide. Taking time to process the traumatic event can help survivors cope, and seeking support from friends, family and community or faith leaders can help an individual work through difficult feelings. My friend Gill says the anxiety rises as the anniversary of the disaster approaches each year. Trauma reminders such as anniversaries are different to unexpected trauma triggers, but can still cause distress. Media attention around collectively experienced dates can also amplify trauma-related distress, contributing to a cycle of media consumption and increased worry about future events. On July 7 each year, Gill holds a private remembrance ritual. This allows her to express her grief and sense of loss, and to honour those who did not survive. These types of rituals can be a valuable tool in processing feelings of grief and guilt, offering a sense of control and meaning and facilitating the expression and acceptance of loss. But lingering guilt and anxiety — especially when it interferes with day-to-day life — should not be ignored. Ongoing survivor guilt is associated with significantly higher levels of post-traumatic symptoms. Survivors may need support from psychologists or mental health professionals in the short and long term. Erin Smith is an associate professor and discipline lead (Paramedicine) at La Trobe University. This piece first appeared on The Conversation.