June 15, World (LNW): The death toll from the catastrophic air crash in Ahmedabad has climbed to 279, marking the worst aviation tragedy in over ten years.
The Boeing 787 aircraft, operated by Air India and bound for London’s Gatwick Airport, went down just moments after take-off on Thursday afternoon, unleashing devastation across a residential area close to the airport.
Authorities reported that hospitals in the city received hundreds of remains, as emergency crews continued the grim task of recovering bodies and identifying victims. The figure now includes dozens who were not on board the flight but perished on the ground when the aircraft crashed and exploded in the neighbourhood below.
The ill-fated Flight 171 was carrying 230 passengers—among them nationals of India, the United Kingdom, Portugal and Canada—along with 12 crew members. Civil aviation officials said a distress call was sent less than a minute into the flight, and the plane plummeted shortly after, scattering debris and flames through homes and buildings in its path.
Scenes of heartbreak have emerged as relatives mourn the sudden loss of loved ones. Anil Patel, who had been reunited with his son and daughter-in-law for the first time in two years, recounted the last joyful moments before the tragedy. “It was wonderful,” he said, choking on emotion. “And now, there is nothing.”
Amid the devastation, one faint glimmer of hope emerged—a passenger seated at the front of the plane was pulled from the wreckage alive. The survivor, whose identity is being protected, was described by family members as being in shock but stable. “We still can’t comprehend how he made it out,” said Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a British national of Indian origin, in a television interview.
The scale of the destruction extended beyond the passengers and crew. Officials have confirmed that at least 38 individuals on the ground were also killed in the inferno that followed the impact. Rescue teams have described the scene as “indescribably harrowing,” with extensive damage to homes and vehicles in the vicinity.
As the nation grapples with grief, questions are already being raised about how such a tragedy could unfold so soon after take-off, in daylight, and in a heavily populated area. An investigation by Indian aviation authorities is underway, with assistance from international experts expected in the coming days.
Memorial services are being planned across India and abroad for the victims, as citizens mourn one of the most tragic chapters in the country’s aviation history.
