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Wales Online
33 minutes ago
- Wales Online
Everything we know so far about doomed Air India flight as 241 confirmed dead
Everything we know so far about doomed Air India flight as 241 confirmed dead Passengers included 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese nationals and one Canadian Footage posted online showed the plane descending rapidly with its nose up before crashing into a building (Image: Anadolu via Getty Images ) An Air India flight heading to London Gatwick with 53 British nationals on board crashed shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad in north-west India on Thursday. The plane was carrying more than 240 people when it came down near a medical college building, BJ Medical College Hostel, which caused a large fire. Officials have confirmed that 241 people on board the flight, including a Welsh family have died and just one person has survived. The death toll may increase as the plane crashed in a residential area. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here What happened An infographic titled "How Air India passenger plane crash unfolded" (Image: Anadolu via Getty Images ) The Air India flight AI171 (a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner) took off from Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at 13:38 local time on Thursday, June 12. Article continues below Shortly after take-off, the aircraft issued a mayday call and the flight-tracking service Flightradar24 reported that signal from the plane was lost at an altitude of 625 feet just seconds after departure. Footage posted online showed the plane descending rapidly with its nose up before crashing into a building and catching fire. Welsh family confir med as victims Akeel Nanabawa, his wife Hannaa and their four-year-old daughter Sara. (Image: PA ) Akeel Nanabawa, originally from Newport, his wife Hannaa Vorajee, and their four-year-old daughter Sara have also died in the accident. Sara's headteacher, Abdullah Samad has described her as 'a ray of sunshine' who 'lit up the classroom', the BBC has reported. He also said the family had travelled to India on a surprise trip and were well known in the community for their charity work. You can read more about Akeel and his family here. Who else was on board Air India confirmed that 242 people were on board the flight, including: • 230 passengers • 12 crew members • 169 Indian nationals • 53 British nationals • 7 Portuguese nationals • 1 Canadian national Police confirmed that 294 people have died, including individuals on the ground. Ahmedabad Police Commissioner GS Malik said there has only been one survivor, seated in 11A, who is a British national, 39-year-old Vishwash Kumar Ramesh and he is currently being treated in hospital. His brother Ajay Ramesh was also on the flight. What we know about the plane The crash occurred in the Meghaninagar area, according to a report by the Press Trust of India (Image: Anadolu via Getty Images ) The model of plane is known for improved fuel efficiency and quieter performance and is known for being extremely safe. Hassan Shahidi who is the president and CEO of the Flight Safety Foundation said: 'The 787 Dreamliner has been an aircraft that has been in operation now for many years, operating in large states around the world without any issues.' This is the first fatal crash involving a Boeing 787, according to the Aviation Safety Network. Air India's response Air India released a statement saying: 'We regret to inform that, of the 242 aboard, there are 241 confirmed fatalities. The sole survivor is being treated in a hospital… Our efforts now are focused entirely on the needs of all those affected. They added: 'Air India has set up helplines for families and is cooperating fully with the authorities. It has also deployed support teams to Ahmedabad and London Gatwick.' CEO Campbell Wilson said investigations will take time but that the airline is prioritising accuracy in updates and support for affected families. Content cannot be displayed without consent Tata group offering compensation A view of the site after a plane crashed following take-off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport (Image: Anadolu via Getty Images ) Tata Group, which owns Air India, has announced compensation for the families of those who died. The company said it will provide: • ₹1 crore (approx. £95,000) to each bereaved family • Full medical costs for those injured • Support in rebuilding the medical college building damaged in the crash Article continues below Ongoing investigation Authorities in India are investigating the cause of the crash and Air India has pledged full cooperation. Keep updated with our live blog here
Wales Online
an hour ago
- Wales Online
Air India confirm 241 killed and one British survivor in plane crash
Only one person has survived the Air India plane crash that was carrying 242 people to the UK, it has been confirmed. Air India has stated that 241 people lost their lives in the disaster. The Air India flight heading to Gatwick Airport reportedly crashed into a doctors' hostel in Ahmedabad, India in devastating scenes. Fire engines rushed to the scene as 242 people were believed to be inside including 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, one Canadian national and seven Portuguese nationals. Flight tracking service Flightradar24 reported that the plane lost the signal from the aircraft just seconds after it became airborne. "The signal from the aircraft was lost at 10.08 local time at 625 feet, less than a minute after take off," it wrote on X. Videos being widely shared show a huge plume of black smoke rising from the site of the crash in the Meghani area of the city, where the Times of India reports the plane crashed into a doctor's hostel. Emergency crews remain at the scene picking through the debris amid the charred scene of the tragedy. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner jet had just taken off from Sardar Vallabhai Patel International Airport before the crash. It was due to land in Gatwick around 6pm. Services at the Indian airport have started to resume but a further Air India flight to Gatwick has been cancelled today, while staff in the London airport have been on hand to offer support to concerned passengers. On Wednesday afternoon Ahmedabad's city police commissioner said there don't appear to have been any survivors from crash. It was also reported that around 200 bodies had been recovered, including those of passengers and people in the area where the plane came down. "It appears there are no survivors in the plane crash," Commissioner G.S. Malik told The Associated Press, adding that with the plane crashing in a residential area with offices, "some locals would have also died." "Exact figures on casualties are being ascertained," he said. The airport, often called Ahemdabad airport, and officially known as Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, is based in the Indian state of Gujarat, where the country's Prime Minister, Narendra Modi hails from. The airport is said to be the busiest and the largest airport in the state. It is named after the country's first Deputy Prime Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. Follow live updates on this incident below:
Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Daily Mirror
Crowds gather outside Air India crash survivor's home awaiting news on brother
After Vishwash Kumar Ramesh was confirmed to have survived the plane crash in India, crowds gathered at the family home to get an update on his brother who is feared to have died Huge crowds gathered outside the UK home of the sole survivor of today's tragic plane crash awaiting news on his brother's condition this afternoon. Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, 40, miraculously escaped alive, while his older brother Ajay Kumar Ramesh, 45, is feared dead. The two brothers were on their way back to the UK after visiting family. Vishwash, who is a British citizen, spoke to his family after the crash and, after confirming he had escaped alive, he expressed his concern for his brother Ajay. He said he suffered "impact injuries" on his chest, eyes and feet and told a medic at the hospital where he is being treated that immediately after the plane took off, it began descending and suddenly split in two. Prior to Air India confirming 241 out of 242 people on board had died, people had gathered at the Ramesh family home in Leicester, awaiting news on Ajay. One of the four Ramesh brothers is 27-year-old Nayan Ramesh, who remained at home with the rest of his family whilst Vishwash and Ajay went on holiday. Nayan told Leicestershire Live outside the family home: "We don't have any new updates on Ajay at the moment. We've had a video call with Vishwash now, but we all just want some news, any news at all, on Ajay. "Vishwash is fine, but he's not worried about himself at all. He's just worried about his brother. We've had a lot of relatives come here to support us and we're all just waiting for news. They'd both just gone on vacation." Tragically, in an update this evening, the airline confirmed that Vishwash was the only survivor of the crash and all the other passengers and crew died. The airline said in a statement on X: "Air India confirms that flight AI171, operating from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick on 12 June 2025, was involved in an accident. The 12-year-old Boeing 787-8 aircraft departed from Ahmedabad at 1338 hrs, carrying 230 passengers and 12 crew. "The aircraft crashed shortly after take-off. We regret to inform that, of the 242 aboard, there are 241 confirmed fatalities. The sole survivor is being treated in a hospital. The passengers comprised 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, 7 Portuguese nationals and 1 Canadian national. The survivor is a British national of Indian origin. "Air India offers its deepest condolences to the families of the deceased. Our efforts now are focused entirely on the needs of all those affected, their families and loved ones. A team of caregivers from Air India is now in Ahmedabad to provide additional support. Air India is giving its full cooperation to the authorities investigating this incident. "Air India has also set up a dedicated passenger hotline number 1800 5691 444 to provide more information. Those calling from outside India can call on +91 8062779200."
