Air India plane crash: Death toll rises to 270 as search teams find more bodies
Share and Follow


The London-bound Boeing 787 struck a medical college hostel in a residential area of the northwestern city of Ahmedabad minutes after takeoff.

AHMEDABAD DISTRICT, Gujarat — Search and recovery teams continued scouring the site of one of India’s worst aviation disasters for a third day after the Air India flight fell from the sky and killed at least 270 people in Gujarat state, officials said Saturday.

The London-bound Boeing 787 struck a medical college hostel in a residential area of the northwestern city of Ahmedabad minutes after takeoff Thursday, killing 241 people on board and at least 29 on the ground. One passenger survived.

Recovery teams working until late Friday found at least 25 more bodies in the debris, officials said.

Dr. Dhaval Gameti at the Civil Hospital in Ahmedabad told The Associated Press the facility had received 270 bodies, adding that the lone surviving passenger was still under observation for some of his wounds.

“He is doing very well and will be ready to be discharged anytime soon,” Gameti said Saturday.

Hundreds of relatives of the crash victims have provided DNA samples at the hospital. Most bodies were charred or mutilated, making them unrecognizable.

Some relatives expressed frustration Saturday that the process was taking too long. Authorities say it normally takes up to 72 hours to complete DNA matching and they are expediting the process.

“Where are my children? Did you recover them?” asked Rafiq Abdullah, whose nephew, daughter-in-law and two grandchildren were on the flight. “I will have to ask questions. Government is not answering these questions.”

Another relative persistently asked hospital staff when his relative’s body would be handed over to the family for last rites.

“Give us the body,” the relative insisted.

Alongside the formal investigation, the Indian government says it has formed a high-level, multi-disciplinary committee to examine the causes leading to the crash.

The committee will focus on formulating procedures to prevent and handle aircraft emergencies in the future and “will not be a substitute to other enquiries being conducted by relevant organisations,” the Ministry of Civil Aviation said in a statement.

Authorities have begun inspecting Air India’s entire fleet of Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft, Indian Minister of Civil Aviation Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu said Saturday in New Delhi at his first news briefing since Thursday’s crash.

Eight of the 34 Dreamliner aircraft in India have already undergone inspection, Kinjarapu said, adding that the remaining aircraft will be examined with “immediate urgency.”

The government is eagerly awaiting results of the crash investigation by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau and all necessary steps will be taken without hesitation, Kinjarapu said.

Investigators on Friday recovered the plane’s digital flight data recorder, or the black box, which was recovered from a rooftop near the crash site and likely will lead to clues about the cause of the accident.

India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau said it had started working with “full force” to extract the data.

The device is expected to reveal information about the engine and control settings, while the voice recorder will provide cockpit conversations, said Paul Fromme, a mechanical engineer with the U.K.-based Institution of Mechanical Engineers.

Aviation safety consultant Jeff Guzzetti, a former crash investigator for both the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration, said investigators should be able to answer some important questions about what caused the crash as soon as next week as long as the flight data recorder is in good shape.

Investigators likely are looking at whether wing flaps were set correctly, the engine lost power, alarms were going off inside the cockpit and if the plane’s crew correctly logged information about the hot temperature outside and the weight of the fuel and passengers, Guzzetti said.

Mistakes in the data could result in the wing flaps being set incorrectly, he said.

Thursday’s Air India crash involved a 12-year-old Boeing 787. Boeing planes have been plagued by safety issues on other types of aircraft.

There are currently around 1,200 of the 787 Dreamliner aircraft worldwide and this was the first deadly crash in 16 years of operation, according to experts.

Copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.     

Share and Follow
You May Also Like
Rob Reiner's son Nick arrested after the director and his wife were found dead at their home

Shocking Tragedy: Rob Reiner’s Son Arrested in Connection to Parents’ Mysterious Deaths

The younger son of renowned filmmaker Rob Reiner is currently in custody…
Typhur 8 Quart Sync Air Fryer with wireless thermometer is 47% off

Score Big Savings: Typhur 8 Quart Sync Air Fryer with Wireless Thermometer Now 47% Off!

New York Post may be compensated and/or receive an affiliate commission if…
Charlotte prioritizes $3.4M transit marketing blitz over safety after recent stabbings, GOP chair says

Charlotte Faces Backlash: $3.4M Transit Marketing Push Takes Priority Over Safety Enhancements Amidst Recent Stabbings, Claims GOP Chair

The city of Charlotte is facing criticism after greenlighting a $3.4 million…
Fury over 'puddle' rescue as locals condemn 'drain on resources'

Community Outrage as Locals Criticize ‘Unnecessary’ Rescue Operation

Local residents are expressing outrage at drivers who disregard warnings and end…
Scottish castle on sale for same price as one-bed flat in South London

Own a Piece of History: Stunning Scottish Castle Listed for the Price of a South London Flat

A 20-bedroom castle in Scotland has been listed for sale at a…
Hollywood erupts at Trump's 'vile' Rob Reiner post

Hollywood Reacts Strongly to Trump’s Controversial Comments on Rob Reiner

Hollywood is in an uproar following former President Donald Trump’s comments about…
Judge rules Boston fraudster Brian Walshe competent to stand trial in wife's murder

Verdict Delivered in Brian Walshe Trial: Husband Found Guilty of Wife’s Murder

Jurors have delivered their decision in the trial of Brian Walshe, accused…
Pig heads placed on Muslim graves at cemetery in act of retribution

Pig Heads Discovered on Muslim Graves in Cemetery: An Apparent Act of Retaliation

In an unsettling incident at a cemetery in western Sydney, pig heads…