Briton is ‘sole survivor’ of Air India plane crash that killed more than 290, police say
Flight AI171 was carrying 242 people bound for London when it crashed into residential area of Ahmedabad shortly after takeoff
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The Ahmedabad police commissioner, Gyanendra Singh Malik, told ANI there was one survivor who was in seat 11A, which corresponded to Ramesh’s seat on the flight manifest.
Earlier Malik had said: “It appears there are no survivors in the plane crash.” He also said “some locals would have also died”.
The plane is said to have struck the top of the dining area of the state-run BJ Medical College hostel, killing many students.
“Approximately 294 have died. This includes some students as the plane crashed on the building where they were staying,” Vidhi Chaudhary, a police officer, told Reuters.
Three Britons who died in the crash have been named as Akeel Nanabawa, his wife Hannaa and their four-year-old daughter Sara, according to a statement posted by Gloucester Muslim Community on Facebook.
Air India’s chair, Natarajan Chandrasekaran, described the crash as a “tragic accident”.
It is not yet known what caused the accident but CCTV video showing the entire incident will be crucial evidence for investigators.
A video obtained by local media showed the aircraft flying over a residential area before crashing, creating what appeared to be a large explosion.
Footage of the aftermath showed billowing smoke rising over the area and firefighters on charred streets as people were moved on stretchers. In other images, people were seen assessing the damage while part of the mangled plane could be seen sticking out of a building. Pieces of the aircraft’s landing gear, fuselage and tail could all be seen protruding from the wreckage. Residents have told how the crash sounded like a bomb blast and “felt like an earthquake”.
The 242 people onboard the Gatwick-bound flight included two pilots and 10 cabin crew. The passengers included 217 adults, 11 children and two infants, according to Reuters. Of them, 169 were Indian nationals, 53 were Britons, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian, Air India said.
Chandrasekaran said a support team had been set up for families seeking information. In a post on X, he said: “With profound sorrow I confirm that Air India flight 171 operating Ahmedabad London Gatwick was involved in a tragic accident today.
“Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with the families and loved ones of all those affected by this devastating event. At this moment, our primary focus is on supporting all the affected people and their families.
“We are doing everything in our power to assist the emergency response teams at the site and to provide all necessary support and care to those impacted.”
Tata Group, the parent company of Air India, said it would provide 10 million rupees (around £86,000) to the families of those who were killed in the crash. The company said it would also cover the medical costs of those injured and provide support in the “building up” of the medical college the plane crashed into.
India’s civil aviation minister, Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu, posted on X that rescue teams had been mobilised and all efforts were being made to ensure medical aid and relief support at the site.
Residents told Agence France-Presse about the aftermath of the crash. “When we reached the spot there were several bodies lying around and firefighters were dousing the flames. Many of the bodies were burned,” said Poonam Patni.
Another resident, who did not want to be named, said: “We saw people from the building jumping from the second and third floor to save themselves. The plane was in flames. We helped people get out of the building and sent the injured to the hospital.”
The UK prime minister, Keir Starmer, said in a statement: “The scenes emerging of a London-bound plane carrying many British nationals crashing in the Indian city of Ahmedabad are devastating.”
The UK Foreign Office said officials were working with Indian authorities to establish the facts around the crash and provide support to those involved. Gatwick said a reception centre was being set up for the relatives of passengers.
The flight tracking website Flightradar24 said the signal from the aircraft was lost less than a minute after takeoff. In a post on X, it said: “We are following reports of a crash of Air India flight AIC171 from Ahmedabad to London.
“We received the last signal from the aircraft at 08:08:51 UTC (shortly before 9.09am BST), just seconds after takeoff. The aircraft involved is a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner with registration VT-ANB.”
This is the first crash ever of a Boeing 787 aircraft, according to the Aviation Safety Network database.