More Than 200 Dead in Air India Crash Near Ahmedabad
A London-bound Air India Dreamliner crashed Thursday just moments after takeoff from Ahmedabad, India, killing more than 200 people. The Boeing 787-8, carrying 242 passengers and crew, issued a mayday call before disappearing from radar at an altitude of just 625 feet.
The plane struck a dining facility at a nearby medical college, about three and a half miles from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. At least five students on the ground were killed as the aircraft hit during lunchtime, according to college officials. Ahmedabad Police Commissioner G.S. Malik said rescue teams had recovered 204 bodies from the scene.
Despite the devastation, one survivor was found — a British-Indian man seated in 11A. His condition remains unclear, and authorities have not ruled out the possibility of additional survivors. The passenger manifest included 169 Indian citizens, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese travelers, and one Canadian.
Air India has arranged special flights from Delhi and Mumbai to bring victims’ families to Ahmedabad. Two flights departed Thursday night to support grieving relatives.
British and American officials are also assisting with the investigation. The UK’s Air Accidents Investigation Branch confirmed it is sending a team to work with India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau. The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board is also deploying investigators to aid the response.
The cause of the crash has not been determined, and officials say the investigation is ongoing.
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