Air India has confirmed there was only one survivor from today’s plane crash in Ahmedabad. Only one survive.
An airline spokesman said that “of the 242 aboard, there are 241 confirmed fatalities. The sole survivor is being treated in a hospital”.
It came after a senior Indian police officer said there could be more survivors being treated in hospital.
The only person to escape the crash alive was earlier confirmed to be Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a British national of Indian origin.
“He was near the emergency exit and managed to escape by jumping out the emergency door,” said Vidhi Chaudhary, a senior police officer in Ahmedabad, speaking about Viswashkumar.
The flight to Gatwick took off at 1.39pm local time (9.09am BST) from runway 23. Of the 242 passengers on board, 53 were British
Downing Street warned the public to be prepared for a significant loss of British lives, while the MP for Leicester East said a “handful” of residents from the city were onboard.
“So far my understanding is that there are a handful of Leicester residents who were on board that flight – but I am still awaiting for official reports on that,” said Shivani Raja, a Conservative MP.
Air India said 169 Indian nationals, seven Portuguese and one Canadian were also among the 242 on board. Eleven passengers were children.
Mobile phone footage showed the plane flying low over the city before hitting the ground and bursting into flames. Indian police said the jet struck a hostel that was used by local doctors.
The heat from burning fuel on the plane was so intense that it gave “no chance” to save the lives of passengers on board, India’s home minister said.
Speaking on Thursday evening, Amit Shah told reporters: “Aircraft’s full fuel tank, intense heat gave no chance to save lives.
Part of the plane’s fuselage was seen sticking out from the building, and plumes of thick black smoke could be seen rising over the city.
Raju Prajapati, who lives just a few hundred metres from the crash site, told The Telegraph: “We heard a huge explosion and rushed out of our homes. There were thick plumes of black smoke rising into the sky. People were shouting and running in all directions.” He said the smoke remained visible more than a mile away.
The cause of the crash is unclear. Boeing has been involved in a series of incidents in recent years, including fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019, but the Dreamliner had never crashed in 14 years of service
The relatives and friends of the sole survivor of the Air India plane crash gathered at a house in Leicester on Thursday evening.
Vishwash Kumar Ramesh was the only person on board the aircraft who survived.
Nayan Kumar Ramesh said it was a “miracle” that his brother Vishwash survived the crash but said he was “still worried” about his other sibling who was also on board the flight.
A US team of experts is travelling to India to help with the crash probe after India asked for assistance.
