Air India crash death toll rises to 270 as recovery continues in Ahmedabad
AHMEDABAD, India — Search and recovery operations entered their third day on Saturday following the crash of an Air India Boeing 787 in Ahmedabad, which killed at least 270 people in one of the worst aviation disasters in India's history.
The London-bound flight struck a medical college hostel in a residential area just minutes after takeoff on Thursday, killing 241 people on board and at least 29 on the ground.
Officials confirmed that a single passenger miraculously survived the crash.
Dr. Dhaval Gameti of the Civil Hospital in Ahmedabad said the hospital had received all 270 bodies, noting that the survivor remains under observation but is expected to be discharged soon.
Authorities say most victims were burned beyond recognition. Hundreds of relatives have submitted DNA samples to identify their loved ones, though frustration is mounting over delays.
'Where are my children? Did you recover them?' asked Rafiq Abdullah, who lost multiple family members in the crash.
Investigators recovered the aircraft's digital flight data recorder on Friday from a rooftop near the crash site.
The device is expected to offer key insights into the plane's final moments, including engine status, control settings, and cockpit conversations.
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau has launched a full-scale investigation, while the Ministry of Civil Aviation announced the formation of a high-level committee to examine the causes and recommend safety measures.
Officials clarified this would be a complementary probe to the primary investigation.
Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu said inspections of India's entire fleet of Boeing 787 Dreamliners are underway, with eight of the country's 34 Dreamliners already examined.
He pledged 'immediate urgency' in completing checks on the rest.
The downed aircraft, a 12-year-old Boeing 787, is the first of its model to be involved in a fatal crash since entering service 16 years ago. Boeing's 787 Dreamliner fleet includes over 1,200 aircraft in service globally. — Agencies
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