The Indian plane carrying 242 passengers and crew members is believed to have had only one survivor. Over the past few hours, information about the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner (code AI 171) carrying 242 people of Air India suddenly having an accident this afternoon, June 12, has received much attention from the media around the world. According to Business Insider, the flight was en route from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Airport (Ahmedabad) to London Gatwick.
The latest update is that only 1 survivor was found, sitting in seat 11A on the plane. On social network X, the image said to be the “fateful” plane ticket of this luckiest passenger is spreading at high speed. Based on the information such as seat, flight time, itinerary and flight number, this ticket is highly likely to be genuine. He is a 38-year-old British passenger. The victim is currently being taken to a local hospital for treatment.
Previously, according to ADS-B data, the plane reached an altitude of about 625 feet before losing signal and sending a “MAYDAY” command to air traffic control. The world media simultaneously reported that the plane crashed into the Meghani Nagar area, hitting the dormitory of medical students at B.J. Medical College, creating a large explosion and a thick column of black smoke. The crash is considered one of the worst aviation tragedies with at least 200 people confirmed dead. This is also the first fatal accident involving the Boeing 787 since this type of aircraft entered service in 2011. Also due to the crash in a densely populated area, the number of casualties in this accident is expected to increase as there are more victims on the ground.
Immediately after the accident, rescue forces including fire brigade, medical staff, army and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) were deployed to the scene. The accident area has been completely sealed off, and hospitals in the city have been put on red alert. Air India has set up an emergency assistance centre and hotline for the families of the victims and has announced plans to provide compensation and psychological support to the relatives of the deceased. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), in coordination with Boeing, Air India and experts from the US, UK and the European Union, is investigating the cause of the accident. The black box has been recovered and is being analysed to determine whether it was a technical or human error.