A catastrophic aviation disaster occurred in western India on Thursday when Air India Flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner en route to London, crashed shortly after departing from Ahmedabad. The crash resulted in the deaths of 241 passengers and crew, with additional fatalities on the ground.
The aircraft impacted a residential area, hitting a hospital complex and a medical student hostel. The timing was particularly tragic, as the plane struck the student mess hall during lunchtime. While many students escaped, several were believed to have been killed or trapped.
In an extraordinary turn of events, one person on the plane, a British national named Vishwashkumar Ramesh, survived the crash. He was among 230 passengers of various nationalities, including 169 Indian and 53 British citizens, and 12 crew members.
The cause of the crash remains unclear, though officials confirmed the pilots issued a mayday call just seconds after takeoff before losing contact. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the tragedy “heartbreaking beyond words.” An investigation has been launched by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, with assistance from US and British authorities. Tata Group, Air India’s parent company, has pledged financial compensation to the families of the victims.
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