Air India flight to London crashes after takeoff in Ahmedabad, 241 dead, one survivor

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London-bound Air India Boeing 787 carrying 242 people crashed shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad airport on Thursday afternoon, killing all on board save one, in one of the worst such incidents in the country's aviation history. Ahmedabad police said some 265 bodies were brought to the civil hospital. It wasn't clear if this included fatalities on the ground. The airline hadn't provided a final figure on casualties at press time. Vishwaskumar Ramesh, who was in seat 11A, survived and was being treated at a hospital.The plane turned into a fireball after going down, laden as it was with fuel. Home minister Amit Shah said the temperatures were so high due to the burning fuel that there was no chance to save anyone, except for the sole survivor.'The number of those killed will be officially released by the authorities after DNA test and identification of the victims,' Shah said. The only relief is that one person survived, he said.Videos showed the plane losing altitude in the moments it was airborne before falling inside the campus of state-run BJ Medical College and going up in flames. The aircraft was carrying about 125,000 litres of fuel for the non-stop flight. A portion of the Dreamliner's tail could be seen embedded in the building's roof.Shah said the process of collecting DNA samples from the bodies had been completed. 'The Forensic Science Laboratory and National Forensic Sciences University in Gujarat will conduct DNA tests of the victims,' he said.The Directorate General of Civil Aviation said the pilots had sent a Mayday call to air traffic control (ATC) but there was no response from them thereafter. AI 171, which left Ahmedabad at 1:38 pm, was bound for Gatwick airport. It was carrying 169 Indians, 53 Britons, seven Portuguese and one Canadian, Air India said.The plane struck the top of the dining area of the BJ Medical College hostel, killing students. More than 100 bodies had been brought to the local government hospital for autopsies, the Ahmedabad police said.Air India was taken over by the Tata Group in January 2022.The flight which crashed Thursday was under the command of captain Sumeet Sabharwal, a pilot with 8,200 hours of flying experience, and first officer Clive Kundar, who had logged 1,100 hours.Civil aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu expressed his condolences and assured swift action.'We are on highest alert. I… have directed all aviation and emergency response agencies to take swift and coordinated action,' he posted on X. 'Rescue teams have been mobilised, and all efforts are being made to ensure medical aid and relief support are being rushed to the site.'The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) confirmed that 'the aircraft fell on ground immediately after departure' and that a detailed investigation has been initiated.Air India CEO Campbell Wilson said the carrier had despatched a support team to Ahmedabad.'I know that there are many questions and I will not be able to answer them all. But I do want to share the information that we have at this time. Air India flight AI 171, operated with a Boeing 787-8 aircraft travelling from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, has been involved in an accident after take-off,' he said. 'Investigations can take time. But anything we can do, we are doing. We know that many people are concerned for the welfare of their loved ones.'Tata Sons chairman N Chandraekaran said that the primary focus would be on supporting all the affected people and their families.'We are doing everything in our power to assist the emergency response teams at the site and to provide all necessary support and care to those impacted,' he said.As rescuers struggled to find survivors in the charred wreckage and pull out the injured, many of them with grievous burns, officials tried to assess the human magnitude of the disaster.The search was also on for the aircraft's black boxes–the flight data recorder and the cockpit voice recorder–for clues to understand what happened in the last crucial moments.The 11-year-old aircraft could be seen from miles away, losing altitude rapidly and combusting in a fiery blaze that sent plumes of thick black smoke spiralling in the air.The aircraft had climbed just about 600-800 feet before plummeting to the ground almost immediately, aviation sources said.Eyewitnesses in Ahmedabad said the blaze was so intense that it led to several multi-storey buildings being burnt, trees singed and cars damaged. One image showed the snout of the plane crashing through the top floor of a building that appeared to be the dining area of the hostel for nurses and doctors.Elsewhere too, there were scenes of devastation with mangled metal, tangled wire and smoke rising from the burning embers.Britain's King Charles III said he and his wife, Queen Camilla, were "desperately shocked by the terrible events in Ahmedabad this morning.'"Our special prayers and deepest possible sympathy are with the families and friends of all those affected by this appallingly tragic incident across so many nations, as they await news of their loved ones,' according to the statement issued by Buckingham Palace.