Air India plane crash death toll: Over 30 bodies reportedly recovered
169 Indian nationals
53 British citizens
7 Portuguese nationals
1 Canadian citizen
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At least 30 to 35 bodies have been recovered from a building at the crash site, rescue workers said, reported Reuters. Officials said several people lost their lives in Thursday's Air India crash near Ahmedabad airport. The London-bound flight, carrying 242 passengers, crashed minutes after takeoff, slamming into a building just beyond the airport perimeter.The aircraft struck a building identified as a doctors' hostel, triggering a fire and widespread panic.The flight, operated by a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, was headed to Gatwick Airport in the United Kingdom. According to Air India, the passenger manifest included:Rescue operations are underway at the site.'The building on which it has crashed is a doctor's hostel... we have cleared almost 70% to 80% of the area and will clear the rest soon,' a senior police officer told reporters.Of the 242 people onboard, 217 were adults and 11 were children, an Air India source told Reuters.The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) confirmed that the aircraft took off from Runway 23 at 1:39 PM IST and crashed shortly thereafter.'Air India B787 aircraft VT-ANB, while operating flight AI-171 from Ahmedabad to Gatwick, crashed immediately after takeoff from Ahmedabad. There were 242 people on board… The aircraft was under the command of Capt Sumeet Sabharwal with First Officer Clive Kundar,' the DGCA said in a statement.Captain Sumeet Sabharwal was a line training captain with over 8,200 hours of flying experience. First Officer Clive Kundar had logged around 1,100 flying hours.Visuals aired on local television showed large plumes of black smoke and flames at the crash site. Emergency responders were seen transporting injured passengers on stretchers and rushing them to nearby hospitals.Air traffic control officials said the flight crew issued a "Mayday" distress call shortly after becoming airborne. No further communication was received before the aircraft went down just beyond the airport's outer boundary.Aircraft manufacturer Boeing said it is monitoring the situation.'We are aware of the initial reports and are working to gather more information,' the company said in a statement.Former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani is feared to have been among the passengers onboard the ill-fated flight, although this has yet to be officially confirmed.Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was briefed on the incident, has spoken with Home Minister Amit Shah and Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu. According to sources, he has directed both ministers to travel to Ahmedabad to oversee relief operations. The Prime Minister has also instructed officials to extend all possible assistance to those affected and expedite both rescue and investigative efforts.
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