Air India’s plane crash kills at least 241 people, 1 passenger survives

At least 241 people were killed when air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed into a residential area after taking off from Ahmedabad to West India, the carrier said.

There was the only survivor of the aircraft, which was taken to a local hospital, the X airline said. The aircraft is bound to the London Gatwick Airport.

A video posted on social media appeared to show that Jetliner descended, followed by a fiery ball and dark smoke. It marks the first fatal catastrophe on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft.

On board more than 11-year-old planes: 230 passengers and 12 crew members, Air India said.

Others on earth were also killed, local officials told some media outlets.

“Approximately 294 have died. This includes some students when the plane crashes on the building where they are staying,” Vidhi Chadhary, a senior police officer, told Reuters.

The Air India Flight 171 signal was lost at 13:38 local time, less than a minute after departure, the Flightradar24 flight tracking site has announced.

“This is a difficult day for all of us at Air India, and our efforts are now focused entirely on the needs of our passengers, crew members, their families and loved ones,” said CEMBL WILSON CEO in a video message posted on social media. He added that those with injuries were taken to a nearby hospital.

Those on board included 169 Indian citizens, 53 British citizens, seven Portuguese citizens and one Canadian, Wilson said. The survivor is a British citizen from India, the carrier said.

The initial data on the aircraft “show that the aircraft reached a maximum barometric altitude of 625 feet (the height of the airport is about 200 feet), and then it started to descend at a vertical speed of -475 feet per minute,” said Fligaradar of X.

The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner is the best-selling wide-body aircraft used on longer routes. The aircraft was delivered to Air India in 2014, according to Flightradar24.

The reason for the crash and why the aircraft lost so quickly altitude, was not known immediately and could take months to determine. In international protocols during catastrophes, the country in which the incident took place will lead the investigation, together with officials, the manufacturer of the aircraft and its engines and others.

The US National Transport Safety Council has said it will send a team of investigators to India.

“We understand that people are impatient for information and please know that we will continue to share accurate and timely information as soon as possible,” said Executive Director Wilson.

More than the 11-year aircraft had 41,000 hours for flights, nearly 8,000 take-offs, an average for this aircraft and the year it was built, according to the Cirium Aviation Data Company.

“Our deepest condolences come to the relatives of passengers and crew aboard the Air India Flight 171, as well as all affected in Ahmedabad,” Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg said in a statement.

Ortberg said he was talking to Air India chairman N. Chandrasekaran, “to offer our full support, and the Boeing team is ready to support the investigation led by the Bureau of Investigation of Accidents in India.”

Ortberg in a note for employees on Thursday night stated that he and Stephanie Pope, CEO of the Boeing Airplane Commerce Department, canceled their plans to attend the Paris Exhibition in Paris next week, “so that we can be with our team and focus on our client.” He said he was talking to NTSB chairman Jennifer Homidi and “committed to her full support for the investigation process.”

“It is important not to speculate about the accident and let investigators do their job. We will follow all Annex 13 Protocols In order to protect the integrity of the process and to ensure that facts -based investigation be provided, “Ortberg said.

The aircraft is powered by two GE aerospace space engines.

“We are expanding our heartfelt sympathy for the families and relatives of those affected,” said a GE spokesman. “We have activated our emergency team and are ready to support our client and the investigation.”

GE postponed its investor day, which was scheduled for next week.

The flights of Sardar Valabhai Patel’s International Airport, from where the flight flew, were temporarily stopped after the crash and resumed several hours later, according to the Government Bureau for the Press in India.

“A thorough investigation will be carried out. There will be no stone in the disclosure of the cause and the provision of accountability,” said Ram Mohan Nadi Kinjarapu, Aviation Minister of India, in a publication of X.

The incident happened just before high -profile Paris Air Show A commercial event designated for next week, where both Boeing and Rival Airbus were scheduled to announce hundreds of planes.

Boeing also works to turn an angle of years on Safety and quality crises And he achieved steps, though on Thursday it was unclear whether the problem of the quality of the aircraft was played in the Air India crash.

Boeing’s shares fell nearly 5% on Thursday.

Air India also invests a lot in the modernization of its fleet and has upgraded its cabins in recent years.