A senior police official in Ahmedabad confirmed on Saturday that the death toll from the recent passenger jet crash has risen to 279. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that bodies are still being recovered from the site where the aircraft plunged into a densely populated residential area.
The updated figure surpasses the earlier reported toll of 265, making this one of the deadliest aviation tragedies of the 21st century. Air India confirmed that the flight was en route to London’s Gatwick Airport and had 242 people on board. Only one passenger is reported to have survived.
In addition to those on the aircraft, at least 38 individuals were killed on the ground when the plane crashed into several homes near the airport shortly after takeoff. The final death toll will remain uncertain until authorities complete DNA identification of the victims.
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Air India stated that the passengers included 169 Indian nationals, 53 British citizens, seven Portuguese nationals, and one Canadian, along with 12 crew members. The aircraft, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, had issued a mayday call and crashed just minutes after taking off, gaining only about 100 meters in altitude.
Investigators have recovered one of the plane’s black boxes, while search operations continue for the second. Boeing, the aircraft’s manufacturer, has expressed its condolences and said it is in contact with Air India, offering full support in the ongoing investigation. This is reportedly the first fatal crash involving a 787 Dreamliner model.
