India Launches Investigation into Air India Crash as PM Modi Visits Site

 New Delhi, June 13 – Authorities in India have launched a major investigation into one of the country's deadliest aviation accidents after an Air India plane crashed in Ahmedabad on Thursday, killing 241 of the 242 people on board. Only one person survived.

The London-bound flight went down shortly after takeoff, crashing into a residential area in Ahmedabad and bursting into flames. The impact destroyed a building that housed a medical college hostel, killing several students on the ground. Most of the bodies were so badly burned that they are difficult to identify.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the crash site and a local hospital where the injured are being treated. He is also expected to meet with senior officials later in the day. Modi, who is originally from Gujarat—the state where the crash occurred—has expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy.

Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu confirmed that the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau is leading the inquiry, following international guidelines set by the International Civil Aviation Organization. A team of experts from the United States, including representatives from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Boeing, and General Electric, is expected to arrive in India to assist.

So far, there has been no update on the recovery of the aircraft’s black boxes, which include the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder. Search teams continue to comb through the wreckage.

Medical teams have started conducting DNA tests to help identify the victims. Akshay Dongardiv, president of the Federation of All India Medical Association, said grieving families have gathered outside the Civil Hospital in Ahmedabad.

Indian Home Minister Amit Shah visited the hospital and met with the sole survivor, identified as Vishwashkumar Ramesh. According to doctors, he suffered multiple injuries but is now stable. Dr. Dhaval Gameti said Ramesh was disoriented but out of danger. Another doctor reported that Ramesh said the plane began to descend moments after takeoff, split in two, and he was thrown out just before it exploded.

The plane involved was a 12-year-old Boeing 787 Dreamliner. While the cause of the crash is still unknown, experts note this is the first fatal crash involving a 787 in its 16 years of service. Currently, around 1,200 Dreamliners are in operation worldwide. Boeing has faced ongoing safety concerns with other models in its fleet.

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