Death toll in India plane crash rises to at least 279

AHMEDABAD: The death toll from the fiery crash of a London-bound passenger jet in an Indian city climbed to 279 on Saturday as officials sought to match the DNA of victims with their grieving relatives.
The Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner issued a mayday call shortly before it crashed around lunchtime on Thursday, bursting into a fireball as it hit residential buildings.
A police source said on Saturday that 279 bodies had been found at the crash site in the western Indian city of Ahmedabad, making it one of the worst plane disasters of the 21st century.
'Nobody can fill the void left by loss,' said Imtiyaz Ali, whose younger brother boarded the plane.
'I can't even begin to explain what's going on inside me,' he told AFP.
There was just one survivor out of 242 passengers and crew on board the jet when it crashed, leaving the tailpiece of the aircraft jutting out of a hostel for medical staff.
Air India Dreamliner crashes into Ahmedabad college hostel, kills over 290
Emergency services kept up their recovery efforts on Saturday, extracting a badly burnt body from the tailpiece before cranes were used to remove the wreckage.
At least 38 people were killed on the ground.
'I saw my child for the first time in two years, it was a great time,' said Anil Patel, whose son and daughter-in-law had surprised him with a visit before boarding the Air India flight.
'And now, there is nothing,' he said, breaking down in tears. 'Whatever the gods wanted has happened.'
Search for black box
Distraught relatives of passengers have been providing DNA samples in Ahmedabad, with some having to fly to India to help with the process.
The first body of a passenger to be handed over to relatives was placed in a white coffin on Saturday before being transported in an ambulance with a police escort, footage from the state government showed.
Air India said there were 169 Indian passengers, 53 British, seven Portuguese and a Canadian on board the flight, as well as 12 crew members.
The official casualty number will not be finalised until the slow process of DNA identification is completed.
Those killed ranged from a top politician to a teenage tea seller.
The lone survivor, Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, 40, said even he could not explain how he survived.
'Initially, I too thought that I was about to die, but then I opened my eyes and realised that I was still alive,' Ramesh, a British citizen, told national broadcaster DD News from his hospital bed.
Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu said on Friday that a flight data recorder, or black box, had been recovered, saying it would 'significantly aid' investigations.
Forensic teams are still looking for the second black box as they probe why the plane lost height and crashed straight after takeoff.
The aviation minister said on Saturday that authorities 'felt the need to do an extended surveillance of the Boeing 787 planes', with eight out of Air India's 34 Dreamliners inspected so far.
Officials will take 'whatever necessary steps are needed' to determine the cause of the disaster as soon as possible, he said.
The US planemaker said it was in touch with Air India and stood 'ready to support them' over the incident. A source close to the case said it was the first 787 Dreamliner crash.

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Express Tribune

a day ago

Express Tribune

Air India says plane 'well-maintained'

Air India's Boeing plane was "well-maintained" before it crashed a week ago, killing all but one of 242 people on board, the airline said on Thursday. Indian authorities are yet to detail what caused the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner to hurtle to the ground in the western city of Ahmedabad a week ago. At least 38 people were killed in the residential neighbourhood that the plane hit, causing such devastation that DNA analysts are still trying to identify dozens of the dead. As investigators attempt to retrieve data from the plane's black boxes -- the cockpit voice recorder and the flight data recorder -- the airline said no problems were detected with the jet before the disaster. "The plane was well-maintained, with its last major check in June 2023," Air India said in a statement. "Its right engine was overhauled in March 2025, and the left engine was inspected in April 2025. Both the aircraft and engines were regularly monitored, showing no issues before the flight," it said. The London-bound jet burst into a fireball when it smashed down in Ahmedabad moments after takeoff. Initial checks on Air India's Dreamliners since the crash "did not reveal any major safety concerns", the country's civil aviation regulator said on Tuesday. India's aviation investigative unit said on Thursday the probe was "progressing steadily". "Key recovery work, including site documentation and evidence collection, has been completed, and further analysis is now underway," the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau said in a statement. Air India said there were 169 Indian passengers, 53 British, seven Portuguese and a Canadian on board the flight, as well as 12 crew members. The pilots were accomplished flyers, according to the airline.

Pakistan Navy's rescue operation helps injured Indian crew member

Business Recorder

2 days ago

Business Recorder

Pakistan Navy's rescue operation helps injured Indian crew member

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Navy has successfully carried out a rescue operation to save an injured Indian crew member aboard an oil tanker in the Arabian Sea demonstrating its commitment to humanitarian values and international maritime responsibilities. According to the military's media wing, the ISPR, the operation was launched after Liberia-flagged oil tanker MT High Leader issued a distress call requesting urgent medical assistance for its injured Indian crew member. Upon receiving the emergency alert, the Pakistan Navy's Joint Maritime Information and Coordination Centre (JMICC) promptly coordinated and initiated a swift rescue mission. Navy, PMSA save lives of seamen including 9 Indian nationals The injured individual was safely evacuated with the help of the Pakistan Maritime Security Agency and transported to a local hospital in Karachi for emergency medical treatment. This timely and efficient operation highlights the Pakistan Navy's unwavering dedication to saving lives at sea, regardless of nationality. It stands as a testament to Pakistan Navy's exemplary role in upholding international maritime norms and its ongoing commitment to ensuring safety and humanitarian support in regional waters. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025

Navy rescue operation helps injured Indian crew member