NEW DELHI - One passenger onboard the ill-fated plane that crashed in west India was rescued alive after several hours had lapsed since the tragedy occurred, confirmed a top cop on Thursday.
However, the identity of the lone survivor could not be ascertained yet.
"The police found one survivor in seat 11A. The survivor is under treatment. Cannot say anything about the number of deaths yet. The death toll may increase as the flight crashed in a residential area," media reports quoted Ahmedabad Police Commissioner G S Malik as saying.
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The Air India flight had 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese nationals and one Canadian on board when it crashed shortly after takeoff from the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad, about 17 km south of Gandhinagar, the capital city of Gujarat.
There were also 12 cabin crew members on board.
India's foreign ministry said a lot of people have lost their lives in Thursday's plane crash with 242 people on board an Air India flight to London in the western state of Gujarat.
The ministry, however, has not put out an exact figure on the death toll in the plane crash.
"What has happened in Ahmedabad is a very tragic accident. We have lost a lot of people. We extend our deepest condolences to all those who have lost their loved ones. There are several foreigners. You will receive the updates from the relevant departments -- Ministry of Civil Aviation, Air India, and others. That is the latest I can share. It is an evolving situation. The rescue operations are on. We need to wait a little more time for exact details to be put out," India's foreign ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said during a press briefing.
A video of the aircraft flying low and struggling to gain altitude shows the plane going down and exploding in a massive ball of fire.
Other videos from the site show thick columns of black smoke rising from the ground.
According to police, the plane crashed directly on the B J Medical College undergraduate hostel mess in Meghani Nagar. The crash caused severe damage to buildings on the premises and several people were reported to be injured.
A part of the crashed plane landed atop a student hostel, eyewitnesses said.
Immediately after the crash, authorities rushed fire engines and over two dozen ambulances to the spot to carry out rescue work.
Police have diverted traffic from the area, and a green corridor has also been established to ferry the injured quickly to the hospital.
Air India has expressed condolences to the families of all those affected by this devastating event. The airline has changed its logo on social media handles to black after the deadly plane crash.
The British government has issued a travel advisory, saying they were aware of the plane crash in Ahmedabad.
"We are aware of a plane crash in Ahmedabad. The UK is working with local authorities in India to urgently establish the facts and provide support to those involved," reads the advisory.
Reports said former Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani was onboard the crashed flight. Web check-in documents obtained by local media said Rupani had completed his check-in in business class on the ill-fated flight.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the plane crash incident as a tragedy and heartbreaking beyond words.
"The tragedy in Ahmedabad has stunned and saddened us. It is heartbreaking beyond words. In this sad hour, my thoughts are with everyone affected by it. Have been in touch with ministers and authorities who are working to assist those affected," Modi wrote on social media.
India's federal minister Amit Shah said he has met the lone survivor in Thursday's deadly air crash in the western state of Gujarat and said the crashed plane had 125,000 litres of fuel.
"This afternoon, Air India flight AI-171 crashed and many passengers are feared dead. The entire nation is grieving and is standing together with the bereaved families," he told media. "There were 230 passengers and 12 crew members. There is some good news that one passenger survived the crash, and I have met him. The death toll will be announced after proper DNA verification."
Shah said efforts to save people from the Air India plane crash failed as the temperature rose to extreme levels due to the burning of 125,000 litres of fuel on the aircraft.
Authorities so far have not released the figures of the death toll in the plane crash.
Condolences
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is deeply saddened by the news of an Air India plane crash that led to more than 200 deaths, said his spokesman on Thursday.
The secretary-general extends his heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and to the people and government of India, as well as to all countries whose citizens were affected by this tragedy. He wishes a swift and full recovery to those injured, said Farhan Haq, deputy spokesman for Guterres, in a statement.
Boeing, Air India in contact
Boeing on Thursday said the company is in contact with Air India regarding the Flight 171 crash in India.
"We are in contact with Air India regarding Flight 171 and stand ready to support them. Our thoughts are with the passengers, crew, first responders and all affected," said the company in a statement.
This is the first crash of a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, according to the Aviation Safety Network.
Compensation provided
Indian multinational conglomerate Tata Group, which owns Air India, said it will provide a compensation of 10 million rupees (around $116,854) to the families of each person who was killed in Thursday's plane crash in the western Indian state of Gujarat.
It also announced that it will bear the cost of the medical expenses of those injured and pledged to provide support for rebuilding the medical hostel that was hit in the crash.
"We are deeply anguished by the tragic event involving Air India Flight 171. No words can adequately express the grief we feel at this moment. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families who have lost their loved ones, and with those who have been injured. Tata Group will provide 1 crore Indian rupees (10 million Indian rupees) to the families of each person who has lost their life in this tragedy," N Chandrasekaran, Chairman of Tata Sons, said in a statement.
"We will also cover the medical expenses of those injured and ensure that they receive all necessary care and support. Additionally, we will provide support in the building up of the B J Medical's hostel. We remain steadfast in standing with the affected families and communities during this unimaginable time."
According to the Federation of All India Medical Associations (FAIMA) Doctors Association, one person was killed, while at least seven are reported missing, besides 50 others injured at the premises of B J Medical College, where the flight crashed, causing severe damage to the buildings.
In pictures from the crash site, scattered plates and utensils can be seen lying on the tables in the hostel canteen, indicating that medical students were having lunch at the time of the crash.
The chief executive of Air India, Campbell Wilson, expresses "deep sorrow" following the plane crash.
READ MORE: Death toll from Indian passenger aircraft accident rises to 18
"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," he said in a video statement posted on social media.
"Investigations will take time, but anything we can do now, we are doing," he said.
Air India has announced two special relief flights from Delhi and Mumbai to Ahmedabad for the next of kin of passengers and Air India staff affected by the tragic plane crash.
Officials killed
A minister in the Indian government has confirmed the killing of former Gujarat chief minister and a senior leader of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Vijay Rupani in Thursday's London-bound Air India flight crash in the western state.
"Our leader and former Chief Minister, Vijay Rupani, was going to meet his family. He is also a victim in this incident. This is a big loss for the BJP," C R Patil, India's federal water resources minister told reporters.
The 68-year-old Rupani was the 16th Chief Minister of Gujarat and served the state from August 2016 to September 2021.
