The London-bound Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner flight, AI 171, with 242 passengers and crew went down shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on Thursday afternoon

Rescue and relief work underway following the Air India plane crash, in Ahmedabad.

In a rare glimmer of hope amid a tragic disaster, one passenger has survived the Ahmedabad Plane Crash incident.

According to Dr Shriq M, a trauma specialist at Ahmedabad’s Civil Hospital, the survivor—Vishwaskumar Ramesh, who was seated in 11A—was travelling with his brother and has been admitted for treatment.

“He is currently under observation. His condition is being closely monitored,” Dr Shriq told PTI.

The London-bound Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner flight, AI 171, with 242 passengers and crew went down shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on Thursday afternoon.

The plane crashed into a residential area near the airport perimeter, striking a doctors’ hostel.

Though there is no official confirmation on the toll, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that many have been feared dead.

Ahmedabad Police Commissioner GS Malik confirmed the development and said, “We found one survivor in seat 11A. He is currently hospitalised and under treatment. The number of deaths cannot yet be confirmed. The toll may rise, as the aircraft crashed in a densely populated area.”

The flight took off at 1.39 pm from runway 23 and issued a Mayday call to ATC shortly after departure. Communication was lost soon thereafter.

Thick black smoke was reported by locals at the Ahmedabad Plane Crash site in Meghani Nagar, a residential zone adjacent to the airport.

The aircraft was under the command of Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, a Line Training Captain with over 8,200 flying hours, and First Officer Clive Kundar, with 1,100 hours of experience.

In a statement, Air India said, “The flight, which departed from Ahmedabad at 1338 hrs, was carrying 242 passengers and crew members on board. Of these, 169 are Indian nationals, 53 British, 7 Portuguese, and 1 Canadian. The injured are being taken to the nearest hospitals. We are fully cooperating with the authorities investigating this incident.”

A dedicated hotline has been established by Air India at 1800 5691 444 for concerned relatives and friends seeking information.

In response to the tragedy, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) deployed 150 personnel from its Rapid Action Force and Gandhinagar Group Centre. In parallel, three teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF)—totalling 90 personnel—have been mobilised to support ongoing rescue operations.

The Ahmedabad City Police has also activated an emergency helpline at 079-2562 0359 for updates and assistance.

Meanwhile, Tata Group Chairman N Chandrasekaran announced Rs 1-crore compensation for each victim’s family and full coverage of medical expenses for the injured. He also pledged Tata Group’s support in rebuilding the damaged BJ Medical College hostel.

“We are deeply anguished by the tragic event involving flight AI 171. We remain steadfast in standing with the affected families and communities during this unimaginable time,” Chandrasekaran said in a statement.

Investigations are underway to determine the cause of the accident