“Ahmedabad Air Disaster: AI-171 Crash Claims 269 Lives, One Survivor Found”

The Boeing 787‑8 Dreamliner (VT‑ANB), operating as Air India Flight 171 from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, took off at approximately 1:38 PM IST on June 12 and crashed into a hostel block of B.J. Medical College just ~30 seconds later.

Of the 242 onboard (230 passengers, 12 crew), 241 perished. At least 28 individuals on the ground were also killed—total fatalities now stand around 269, with additional injuries reported.

Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a British national, is the sole confirmed survivor. He was seated in 11A, escaped the wreckage, and is currently hospitalized with serious injuries.

He recounted: “When I got up, there were bodies all around me … I stood up and ran.

First responders (NDRF, CISF, police) recovered charred bodies from the hostel and surrounding structures; DNA testing is underway for identification.

One “black box” (flight data recorder) has been recovered. The probe is being led by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) with support from the UK AAIB, US NTSB/FAA, Boeing and GE Aerospace.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the crash site and met with survivors and families, also led a review meeting on June 13 .

Air India, under Tata Group, has set up assistance centers at Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Delhi, and London Gatwick for next-of-kin .

Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg expressed condolences and withdrew from the upcoming Paris Air Show pending investigation .

Discussions are underway about grounding Air India’s Boeing 787 fleet until safety reviews conclude.

Among the deceased is former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani.

The Tata Group has announced ₹1 crore compensation to each victim’s family; Air India will pay additional amounts under the Montreal Convention.