At least one passenger survived the Air India crash, police say

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“A Tragedy in the Skies”: Air India Flight Crashes in Ahmedabad, Killing 294, One Survivor Found

AHMEDABAD, INDIA — In one of the deadliest aviation disasters in over a decade, an Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner en route to London crashed into a residential area near the Ahmedabad airport on Thursday afternoon, killing at least 294 people, including passengers, crew members, and civilians on the ground. Remarkably, officials have confirmed the survival of one passenger — a British national — in what experts are calling nothing short of a miracle.

The aircraft, carrying 242 passengers and crew, plunged into a neighborhood shortly after takeoff, erupting into a massive fireball as it struck a doctor’s hostel where over 50–60 medical students were present. According to the All India Medical Association, many of those students were either critically injured or killed, adding to the overall death toll.

A Miracle Among Ruins

Amid scorched debris and grief-stricken families, local police confirmed that one man, seated in 11A, survived the horrific crash. The British national, who has since been identified but not officially named due to privacy considerations, was found alive in a nearby hospital. According to eyewitnesses and local journalists, he was conscious and able to recall moments before the crash — particularly a loud mechanical noise 30 seconds after takeoff.

Tragically, he was traveling with his brother, whose fate remains unknown.

“This is a miracle,” said Samah Abdul Aziz, a correspondent reporting from London. “Amid the devastation, this lone survivor is a source of both hope and pain for families still waiting for news.”

The Final Moments of Flight AI147

The flight, identified as Air India Flight AI147, took off from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at approximately 1:40 PM local time. Less than a minute into the flight, witnesses reported seeing the plane struggling to gain altitude.

A disturbing video now circulating on social media captures the aircraft wobbling in the sky, failing to ascend properly, and then sharply nosediving behind residential buildings before erupting in flames. The footage is being widely cited as key evidence for aviation experts and investigators attempting to determine the cause of the crash.

Global Shock and Response

The loss has sent shockwaves across the world, with victims hailing from India, the United Kingdom, Canada, Portugal, and other countries. Over 50 British nationals, at least one Canadian, and several Portuguese citizens were onboard the doomed flight.

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep sorrow and promised a full investigation, deploying high-ranking officials to the crash site. “We are with the grieving families. Every effort will be made to uncover the truth,” Modi said in a public address.

Air India has since set up hotlines and emergency support desks at major international airports. However, many families continue to express frustration over what they call a lack of timely communication and transparency.

“We only found out through TV,” said one anguished father who had a daughter onboard working as cabin crew. “No one from Air India has spoken to us yet. No updates, no names, just silence.”

What Went Wrong?

The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner has had a solid safety record since its introduction in 2011. This marks its first fatal crash in commercial service, making the incident even more alarming for aviation authorities worldwide.

Preliminary reports suggest the aircraft may have encountered technical issues shortly after takeoff. Experts have pointed to the abnormally fast descent, suggesting either a catastrophic mechanical failure, improper flap settings, or landing gear malfunctions.

Tom Foreman, an aviation analyst for CNN, analyzed the footage frame by frame and emphasized the unusual behavior of the aircraft. “It seems the plane never completed the transition from ground to air. It struggled in the early seconds and then dropped. That’s where things went terribly wrong.”

Investigators are also closely examining the tail section of the aircraft, which appeared unusually intact and separated from the main wreckage, possibly indicating a structural breakup mid-air or a late-stage attempt at emergency maneuvering.

One Seat, One Chance: 11A

Aviation experts are baffled that the sole survivor was seated in row 11A, near the front of the economy class — close to an emergency exit. Typically, survivors in aviation crashes are found closer to the tail. This anomaly has sparked further interest in seat design, escape paths, and the disintegration pattern of the fuselage.

“It’s incredible,” said Benjamin Katz, a global aviation reporter for The Wall Street Journal. “He was seated near the forward section, and somehow managed to survive an impact that flattened buildings and killed hundreds. In previous crashes, survivors were often located at the back. This tells us just how unpredictable survivability is in air disasters.”

Katz noted that investigators are analyzing seat maps, cabin layouts, and crash dynamics to understand what factors may have contributed to the man’s survival — seat position, exit proximity, or sheer luck.

Investigation Underway

Authorities in India, along with investigative teams from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the U.K. Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB), have arrived in Ahmedabad to lead the inquiry.

Boeing, the aircraft manufacturer, has pledged full cooperation. In a brief statement, Boeing expressed its condolences to the families and stated that their technical teams were already working with Indian aviation officials.

Investigators will likely focus on:

Flight data recorders (black boxes)

Cockpit voice recordings

Air traffic control logs

Maintenance history

Pilot training and recent flying hours

The aircraft’s maintenance records, especially in the last 48 hours, will be crucial in determining if any prior issues were logged.

A Nation Mourns

As emergency crews continue to sift through the wreckage, the magnitude of the tragedy becomes more apparent. Entire apartment blocks were scorched. Residents on the ground, many preparing for afternoon lunch or siesta, were killed or injured without warning.

Local hospitals are overwhelmed. Volunteers and medical staff are working around the clock to provide care and identify bodies. A temporary morgue has been established near the crash site.

Families from across India and abroad are arriving in Ahmedabad, desperate for information. Many, like the father of the 21-year-old crew member, still have no answers.

“The phone still rings,” he said. “But no one picks up. Maybe it’s in her bag. Maybe it’s under rubble. We just want to know.”

Conclusion: Questions That Remain

For now, the disaster raises far more questions than answers. How did a modern aircraft with one of the best safety records in the industry go down so suddenly? Was it pilot error, a mechanical fault, or something more sinister?

And for those who lost their loved ones — daughters, sons, spouses — the answers may come too late.

The survival of one man in seat 11A has given a sliver of hope to families clinging to uncertainty. But for hundreds of others, the only certainty is sorrow.

As the investigation unfolds, one truth is already clear: Flight AI147 will be remembered not just for the devastation it caused, but also for the haunting silence left in its wake.

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