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The death toll from the devastating Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad has climbed to 279, according to a senior police official who spoke anonymously on Saturday. The updated figure includes passengers and residents on the ground, making it one of the deadliest air disasters of the 21st century.
The official said the revised number surpasses an earlier estimate of 265, as recovery teams continue to retrieve bodies from the crash site, where the aircraft ploughed into a densely populated residential area near the airport.
The Air India flight was en route to London’s Gatwick Airport with 242 people on board when it crashed shortly after takeoff on Thursday. Tragically, only one passenger survived. Authorities confirmed that 38 people on the ground were also killed when the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner struck multiple residential buildings.
The final casualty count will depend on the results of ongoing DNA identification efforts, which are expected to take time due to the severity of the crash and condition of the remains.
Air India confirmed the nationalities of the passengers as including 169 Indians, 53 British citizens, seven Portuguese nationals, and one Canadian, along with 12 crew members.
Moments after takeoff, the aircraft reportedly issued a mayday call before crashing at an altitude of just 100 metres (330 feet). The black box flight recorder was recovered on Friday, while forensic teams continue the search for the cockpit voice recorder.
Boeing, the aircraft manufacturer, said it is in contact with Air India and is ready to assist in the investigation. A source close to the probe noted this incident marks the first fatal crash involving the 787 Dreamliner model.
