Death Toll Rises To 270 In Air India Crash As Families Await Loved Ones' Remains
The death toll in the devastating crash of Air India flight AI171, owned by the Tata Group, has climbed to 270, marking one of the worst aviation tragedies in recent history. As recovery operations continue, anguished families wait outside Ahmedabad hospitals for the remains of their loved ones, many of whom are severely charred and require DNA analysis for identification.
The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, carrying 242 passengers and crew en route to London’s Gatwick Airport, crashed just 33 seconds after takeoff from Ahmedabad Airport on Thursday afternoon.
The aircraft plummeted into the rooftop of a doctors’ hostel in the B.J. Medical College campus in the Meghani Nagar area, triggering a fiery explosion that also killed dozens on the ground.
According to the reports on Saturday, at least 270 bodies have now been recovered. The latest was retrieved from the aircraft’s tail section, which remains wedged into the building’s rooftop.
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Only one passenger survived the crash: Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a British national seated in 11A, who miraculously escaped with injuries. The rest—169 Indian nationals, 53 British citizens, 7 Portuguese, 1 Canadian, and 12 crew members—perished either onboard or on the ground. Tragically, former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani was also confirmed among the dead.
At local hospitals, families have been lining up in despair, waiting for official identification of bodies. Forensic teams are relying on dental records and DNA samples to confirm identities. Authorities have pledged to expedite the DNA testing process and aim to complete identifications within three days.
Doctors and staff are working overtime, some reportedly in tears themselves, to match samples under immense emotional and logistical pressure.
A multi-agency investigation is ongoing to determine the exact cause of the crash. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), DGCA, Ahmedabad Crime Branch, and other state and central agencies are all involved. A team from the National Investigation Agency (NIA) also visited the site on Friday.
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While the National Security Guard (NSG) has been deployed to assist with recovery and security, officials clarified that the NSG does not have investigative authority. NSG commandos were seen inspecting the rooftop wreckage where the aircraft’s tail remains embedded.
Early reports, including a preliminary review by aviation authorities, suggest possible issues related to engine thrust, flap deployment, or a failure in the landing gear system, which reportedly did not retract after takeoff.
