The investigation into the crash of a London-bound aircraft, which has claimed 240 lives so far, is still ongoing, and the number of fatalities may rise.
Air India has stated that among the 242 individuals aboard the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, which crashed into a medical college following departure from Ahmedabad Airport, just one person—a citizen of the United Kingdom—survived the incident.
This incident ranks among the most fatal air disasters for British citizens and marks the first time a Boeing 78Z was involved.
Concerns exist that the death toll among those on the ground might increase.
Photos captured following the event revealed remnants of the aircraft lodged within the walls of theBJ Medical College building.
A minimum of five medical students lost their lives, with approximately 50 others sustaining injuries.
The Briton Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, 40, is thought to be the sole survivor of the accident.
He was sitting in seat 11A, right beside one of the plane’s exit doors for emergencies.
Expressing himself outside their family home in Leicester, Nayan Kumar Ramesh, who is 27 years old, stated: “As soon as we received the news, we were utterly stunned.”
I last communicated with him yesterday morning. We’re utterly heartbroken, simply devastated.
He stated, ‘I have absolutely no clue how I managed to get out of the aircraft.’
Fiongal and Jamie Greenlaw-Meek, a British duo operating a center for spiritual well-being, reportedly perished in the incident.
Mr Greenlaw-Meek made an appearance on ITV’s “This Morning” earlier this year, where he was commended by the program’s ex-editor Martin Frizell for his “energy” and “zeal.”
“It’s really heartbreaking to learn that Fiongal Greenlaw-Meek and his companion are reportedly among the victims of the Air India flight heading to Gatwick that crashed today,” he mentioned in an Instagram update.
I recall his trip to the studio back in January; he was deeply invested in discussing auras. Even though I tend to be quite skeptical, his energy and unbridled excitement managed to win people over.
The Gloucester Muslim Community organization extended “their most sincere and heartfelt sympathies” following reports that Akeel Nanabawa, his spouse Hannaa, and their daughter Sara were amongst those who perished.
“At this time of immense grief, our thoughts are with everyone who remains,” stated the announcement.
No words can fully alleviate the anguish caused by such a deep-seated sorrow, yet we hope the family might take comfort in the massive wave of empathy and unity expressed by communities everywhere.
Aircraft specialists have pondered several potential reasons behind the accident, ranging from both engines potentially shutting down – perhaps because of a bird impact, similar to what occurred during the renowned “Miracle on the Hudson” incident in 2009 – to the possibility that the flaps on the plane’s wings were not configured properly for departure.
On Friday morning, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi toured the accident location and a nearby medical facility.
“The devastation of losing so many lives in such an abrupt and sorrowful way defies description. My deepest sympathies go out to all the grieving families,” he posted on X.
We empathize with their suffering and realize that the emptiness remaining will be sensed for many years ahead.
The video uploaded to Mr. Modhi’s official YouTube channel depicted him inspecting the accident location and engaging with patients at the hospital.
The Air India CEO Campbell Wilson went to the site, as reported by the BBC, but he chose not to answer journalists’ queries.
The Tata Group, which owns Air India, stated that they will offer 10 million rupees (£86,000 approximately) to the families of every individual who perished in the accident.
The firm stated that it will also bear the medical expenses for those who were hurt and offer assistance in “establishing” the medical college.
In response to the crash of AI171, Air India has established help centers for friends and family at Gatwick, Mumbai, Delhi, and Ahmedabad airports to offer support.
The airline stated in an X post that these centers are assisting family members traveling to Ahmedabad,
The AAIB stated that UK officials have been sent to India to assist with the probe.
US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy stated that American teams from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) were en route to India, accompanied by assistance from Boeing and GE Aerospace.
He informed journalists that it was “far too early” to grounded Boeing 737s following the accident.
“He mentioned they need to go down and examine the scene personally,” he stated. “Individuals are watching video recordings and attempting to determine what occurred, but this isn’t a robust or wise approach for making informed conclusions about the event.”
The King expressed that he was “deeply startled” and Buckingham Palace stated they were receiving regular updates.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer stated that the UK maintains ongoing communication with Indian officials.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office stated that any British citizens needing consular support or with worries regarding their loved ones should contact 020 7008 5000.
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