Authorities have opened an investigation into one of India’s deadliest aviation disasters after an Air India flight crashed shortly after takeoff, killing 241 of the 242 people on board. The lone survivor remained in critical condition, officials said Friday.
The London-bound aircraft went down in a densely populated residential area of Ahmedabad on Thursday, minutes after departure.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the crash site Friday, calling the incident a “national tragedy.”
Emergency workers scoured the wreckage through the night. Officials said most victims were burned beyond recognition. The cause of the crash remained unknown, and there was no immediate word on whether the flight data and cockpit voice recorders – commonly known as black boxes – had been recovered.
The plane hit a building housing a medical college hostel and burst into flames, killing several college students on the ground.
Black smoke billowed from the site near the airport in Ahmedabad, a city of more than 5 million and the capital of Gujarat, Modi’s home state.
“We are all devastated by the air tragedy in Ahmedabad.
"The loss of so many lives in such a sudden and heartbreaking manner is beyond words,” Modi said on social media after visiting the site. “We understand their pain and also know that the void left behind will be felt for years to come.”
The sole survivor, seen in television footage meeting Modi at a local government hospital, was identified as Vishwashkumar Ramesh.
Dr. Dhaval Gameti told The Associated Press (AP) he had examined the man.
“He was disoriented with multiple injuries all over his body,” Gameti said. “But he seems to be out of danger.”
Another medic said Ramesh told him that immediately after takeoff, the plane began descending and suddenly split in two, ejecting him before a loud explosion.
India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau has launched a probe into the disaster in line with global protocols set by the International Civil Aviation Organization, Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu said in a statement on social media.
A team from the United States is expected to arrive in India to assist.
The National Transportation Safety Board, Federal Aviation Administration, Boeing and General Electric are all sending experts.
Medics are conducting DNA tests to identify those killed, said Akshay Dongardiv, national president of the Federation of All India Medical Association.
Meanwhile, grieving families gathered outside the Civil Hospital in Ahmedabad on Friday.
Modi was scheduled to hold a meeting with senior officials later Friday. He also met with some of those injured on the ground during his hospital visit.
Thursday’s Air India crash involved a 12-year-old Boeing 787. Boeing planes have been plagued by safety issues on other types of aircraft.
According to experts, there are currently about 1,200 Boeing 787 Dreamliners in service worldwide. This was the first deadly crash in the aircraft's 16 years of operation.
