The North News
Ahmedabad, June 13
The rescue workers in Ahmedabad have recovered the black box from the wreckage of Air India flight AI-171, which crashed into a medical hostel complex shortly after take-off, killing at least 265 people. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner had departed for London at 1:38 pm local time on Thursday before plummeting into the BJ Medical College hostel complex less than two minutes later. The impact sparked a massive blaze, destroying part of the building where over 50 people were believed to be present.
So far, six bodies have been returned to families after identification through facial features. More than 1,000 DNA samples are being collected in Gujarat, according to Home Minister Amit Shah, with efforts also underway to obtain samples from relatives of foreign nationals on board.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the crash site on Friday morning and later met survivors and medical personnel at Civil Hospital. He reportedly spent around 10 minutes at the site speaking with officials and grieving families. Prime Minister said he met those injured in the aftermath of the Ahmedabad plane crash, including the sole survivor, and assured them that the nation stands firmly with them and their families during this difficult time. In his post on X, he added that the entire country is praying for their swift recovery.
Among the 242 people on the aircraft — 230 passengers and 12 crew — were 169 Indian nationals, 53 British citizens, seven Portuguese nationals and one Canadian. Former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani was among those confirmed dead. The manifest included 103 men, 114 women, 11 children and two infants. At least five people from the hostel complex were also confirmed dead, including four MBBS students and a doctor’s wife. The exact toll on the ground remains unclear as rescue operations continue.
The sole survivor, Vishwas Kumar Ramesh, had been seated near the emergency exit. Ramesh said the aircraft appeared to experience difficulties just 30 seconds after takeoff. His brother was also on the flight and did not survive.
Home Minister Amit Shah described the incident as a “national tragedy” and said authorities responded within minutes of the crash. “The entire nation is grieving this tragedy. The country stands firmly with the families of those who lost their lives,” he said.
Investigators from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) will examine the black box, and a forensic team is working on-site. While the official cause has not been confirmed, the experts have suggested possible engine failure. The aircraft was reportedly carrying around 125,000 litres of aviation fuel at the time of impact, which intensified the fire and hampered rescue efforts.
Aviation officials are expected to provide a preliminary report once analysis of flight data and cockpit recordings is complete.
