The death toll from Thursday’s tragic Air India crash has risen to 270, as several injured victims from the BJ Medical College hostel succumbed to their injuries, hospital officials confirmed. The ill-fated Flight AI 171, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner bound for London’s Gatwick Airport, crashed into the medical hostel and canteen complex in Meghaninagar shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad airport.
The aircraft was carrying 242 people – 230 passengers, two pilots, and 10 crew members. 241 lives were lost on board, leaving just one survivor – a British national of Indian origin, currently hospitalized. An additional eight fatalities occurred on the ground at the hostel.
Dr. Dhaval Gameti of BJ Medical College reported that approximately 270 bodies have been brought to the Civil Hospital. DNA identification of the victims is underway to facilitate proper handover to families.
Emergency services continue recovery operations. A portion of the aircraft’s tail fin remains lodged in the hostel canteen building, and cranes have been deployed to safely remove it. Human remains and wreckage are still being recovered.
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) retrieved the aircraft’s black box 28 hours post-crash. Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu confirmed data decoding is in progress, and a full probe is underway.
All Air India Boeing 787-8/9 aircraft will undergo enhanced safety checks starting Sunday, per DGCA directives.
This crash marks the first fatal accident involving a Boeing 787 since its commercial launch in 2011.