There was one sole survivor from the plane. Read more details in 1st comment

An Air India flight tragically crashed on June 12, just minutes after taking off from Ahmedabad Airport en route to London Gatwick. The flight, AI 171, was carrying 242 passengers and crew members, including nationals from India, the UK, Canada, and Portugal. The aircraft reached only about 625 feet in altitude before crashing roughly four miles from the airport.

Emergency services quickly responded to the crash site, which included a medical college hostel that the plane struck during its descent. So far, 265 bodies have been recovered, a figure that includes fatalities on the ground. Authorities warn this number may rise as rescue efforts continue. Remarkably, only one person is known to have survived: 40-year-old British national Vishwash Kumar Ramesh.

The pilots on board were identified as Captain Sumeet Sabharwal and First Officer Clive Kunder. According to India’s aviation regulator, the aircraft issued a mayday call reporting severe mechanical failure: “Mayday […] no thrust, losing power, unable to lift.” Moments later, all communication ceased as the pilots apparently attempted to regain control before the aircraft crashed.

The cause of the accident is under investigation, and more details are expected in the coming days. The preliminary reports suggest a possible catastrophic engine failure shortly after takeoff, which led to the plane’s inability to maintain altitude.

Air India Chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran called the crash a “tragic accident” and expressed deep condolences to the victims’ families. He emphasized the airline’s full support for emergency services and the establishment of assistance centers for affected families.