🇮🇳 Tragic Air India Dreamliner Crash in Ahmedabad: Over 240 Dead
Rescue Efforts Continue Amidst Devastation🚑
AHMEDABAD, India, June 13 (Reuters) — Rescuers continued searching through charred buildings on Friday for missing people and debris after an Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed, killing more than 240 people. Local media reported that India is considering grounding the airline’s Dreamliner fleet pending safety inspections.
The Crash: Moments After Take-off✈️
The Boeing 787-8, carrying 242 passengers and crew on a flight to London’s Gatwick Airport, crashed into a residential area moments after take-off, erupting into a massive fireball that engulfed nearby buildings, as captured on CCTV footage.
Sole Survivor and Ground Casualties😢
Tragically, only one passenger survived the disaster. Local reports suggest up to 24 people on the ground also died when the aircraft struck a medical college hostel during lunch hour, though Reuters could not independently confirm the number.
Ongoing Search and Investigation🔍
Rescue teams have finished combing through the immediate crash site and are now focusing on surrounding structures and recovering aircraft parts critical to the investigation. A pungent smell of jet fuel lingers as cranes clear scorched trees and sniffer dogs search the debris. Smoke still rises from a damaged building.
Black Box Recovered🗂️
Police sources confirmed to Reuters that one of the aircraft’s two black boxes has been recovered, though it’s unclear if it’s the flight data recorder or the cockpit voice recorder.
PM Modi Visits Site and Survivors🙏
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who visited the crash site and met survivors in a local hospital, called the devastation “saddening” in a post on X. Officials briefed him on ongoing search and rescue efforts.
Impact on Residential Area🏢
Residents said the hostel that took the brunt of the crash was newly built and not yet fully occupied. “We heard an enormous blast and then saw thick black smoke covering everything,” said Nitin Joshi, a 63-year-old local resident. Debris surrounded the charred hostel, with the plane’s tail section perched atop the building.
Investigation Focus: Possible Engine Failure🛫
The Wall Street Journal reported, citing unnamed sources, that investigators are examining whether a loss or reduction of engine thrust caused the crash. NDTV reported that New Delhi may temporarily ground Air India’s entire Dreamliner fleet for checks.
Air India’s Dreamliner Fleet🗂️
Air India operates over 30 Dreamliners, including the 787-8 and 787-9 variants. Neither the airline, Boeing, nor the civil aviation ministry immediately commented. An Air India official stated they had yet to receive any official notice regarding a fleet grounding.
First Fatal Dreamliner Crash Since 2011📅
This is the first fatal accident involving the Dreamliner since it entered commercial service in 2011, according to the Aviation Safety Network. Flight AI171, which crashed Thursday, first flew in 2013 and joined Air India’s fleet in January 2014, according to Flightradar24.
Survivor’s Account🗣️
The sole survivor, a British national, recounted hearing a loud noise shortly after take-off.
Global Condolences🌍
Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar spoke with his counterparts in Britain, Portugal, and Canada, as citizens from those countries were among the victims. Global leaders, including China’s President Xi Jinping and Britain’s King Charles, sent condolences.
Victims’ Nationalities🕊️
The victims included 169 Indian nationals, 53 Britons, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian.
Investigation and Boeing Support🔬
Air India stated the investigation will take time, and Boeing announced it is ready to send experts to assist.
Updated Death Toll🧾
Vidhi Chaudhary, a senior state police official, revised the death toll to over 240, down from an earlier figure of 294 after accounting for duplicate body part counts. “Nearly 70% of the passengers were found strapped into their seats,” a first responder told the Indian Express.
Previous Incidents and Recent Scare📉
The last fatal aviation accident in India occurred in 2020, involving Air India Express, the airline’s budget subsidiary. In a separate incident on Friday, an Air India flight from Phuket to Delhi made an emergency landing following a bomb threat, according to airport authorities.
Air India Ownership🏢
Air India, once state-owned, was taken over by Tata Group in 2022 and merged last year with Vistara, its joint venture with Singapore Airlines.
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