Air India confirms plane crash killed at least 241 people, 1 passenger survives

At least 241 people were killed when an Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed into a residential area moments after takeoff from Ahmedabad in western India, the carrier said.

There was a sole survivor from the plane who was taken to a local hospital, the airline said on X. The plane was bound for London Gatwick Airport.

Video posted on social media appeared to show the jetliner descending followed by a fireball and a dark plume of smoke. It marks the first fatal crash of Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner plane.

There were 242 people on board the more than 11-year-old aircraft: 230 passengers and 12 crew members, Air India said.

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

“Approximately 294 have died. This includes some students as the plane crashed on the building where they were staying,” Vidhi Chaudhary, a top state police officer, told Reuters.

The signal from Air India Flight 171 was lost at 1:38 p.m. local time, less than a minute after takeoff, flight tracking site FlightRadar24 said.

“This is a difficult day for all of us at Air India and our efforts now are focused entirely on the needs of our passengers, crew members, their families and loved ones,” the carrier’s CEO, Campbell Wilson, said 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 nationals, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese nationals and one Canadian, Wilson said. The survivor is a British national originally from India, the carrier said.

Initial flight-path data “shows that the aircraft reached a maximum barometric altitude of 625 feet (airport altitude is about 200 feet) and then it started to descend with an vertical speed of -475 feet per minute,” Flightradar said on X.

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

The cause of the crash and why the plane lost altitude so quickly weren’t immediately known and could take months to determine. Under international protocols during crashes, the country where the incident took place will lead the investigation, along with officials, the maker of the aircraft and its engines, and others.

The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board said it will send a team of investigators to India.

“We understand people are eager for information, and please know that we will continue to share accurate and timely information as soon as we can,” CEO Wilson said.

The more than 11-year-old plane had 41,000 hours of flight time, nearly 8,000 takeoffs, average for that aircraft and the year it was built, according to aviation-data firm Cirium.

“Our deepest condolences go out to the loved ones of the passengers and crew on board Air India Flight 171, as well as everyone affected in Ahmedabad,” Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg said in a statement.

Ortberg said he spoke with Air India Chairman N. Chandrasekaran “to offer our full support, and a Boeing team stands ready to support the investigation led by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau.”

Ortberg in a note to employees Thursday evening said that he and Stephanie Pope, chief executive of Boeing’s commercial aircraft unit, were canceling their plans to attend the Paris Air Show next week “so we can be with our team, and focus on our customer and the investigation.” He said he spoke with NTSB chair Jennifer Homendy and “committed to her our full support to the investigative process.”

“It is important that we do not speculate about the accident and let the investigators do their work. We will follow all Annex 13 protocols to protect the integrity of the process and ensure a thorough and fact-based investigation,” Ortberg said.

The plane was powered by two GE Aerospace engines.

“We extend our heartfelt sympathies to the families and loved ones of those impacted,” a GE spokesperson said. “We have activated our emergency response team, and we are prepared to support our customer and the investigation.”

GE is postponing its investor day that was scheduled for next week.

Flights at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, where the flight took off from, were temporarily suspended in the wake of the crash and resumed a few hours later, according to India’s government press bureau.

“A thorough investigation will be conducted. No stone will be left unturned in uncovering the cause and ensuring accountability,” said Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu, India’s aviation minister, in a post on X.

The incident occurred just before the high-profile Paris Air Show trade event set for next week, where both Boeing and rival Airbus were set to announce hundreds of aircraft orders.

Boeing has also been working to turn a corner from years of safety and quality crises and has made strides, though it remained unclear on Thursday whether an aircraft quality problem was in play in the Air India crash.

Boeing shares fell nearly 5% on Thursday.

Air India has also been investing heavily in modernizing its fleet and upgrading its cabins in recent years.