Worst Aviation Disaster in Over a Decade: 240 Fatalities in Air India Crash

Yesterday, a devastating plane crash in Ahmedabad, India, resulted in the deaths of over 240 people, making it the worst aviation disaster in more than a decade. The Air India flight to London, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, crashed shortly after takeoff, with only one passenger walking away from the wreckage. The sole survivor is believed to be a British national.

The death toll is likely to be higher with additional fatalities on the ground. The crash is the deadliest since 2014, when a Malaysia Airlines flight was shot down over Ukraine, killing all 298 on board. The Boeing 787 had a "good in-service safety record" since it started flying in 2011, but this is the first time a 787 has crashed.

Key Takeaways:

• The crash is the worst aviation disaster in over a decade, with 240 people killed.
• The flight was carrying 169 Indian nationals, 53 British citizens, 7 Portuguese, and 1 Canadian.
• The plane was more than 10 years old, and its signal was lost after reaching an altitude of 625 feet and descending with a vertical speed of 475ft per minute.
• India's aviation regulator said the jet made a mayday call to air traffic control but received no response.
• The crash is likely to be the deadliest since 2014, when a Malaysia Airlines flight was shot down over Ukraine.
• Boeing's 787 has a "good in-service safety record" since it started flying in 2011.
• The crash follows a series of safety crises involving other Boeing aircraft, including two fatal crashes of its 737 Max model in 2018 and 2019.
• Tata, the airline's parent company, has promised to give Rs10mn ($117,000) to each family that lost relatives and medical expenses to those injured.

Statistics:

• 240 people are estimated to have died in the crash.
• 169 Indian nationals were among the passengers.
• 53 British citizens were on board.
• The plane was more than 10 years old.
• The vertical speed of the plane's descent was 475ft per minute.
• The signal from the plane was lost at 1.38pm local time.
• The Boeing 787 has a "good in-service safety record" since it started flying in 2011.

Sources:

• "Air India crash: over 240 people killed in Ahmedabad," BBC News (no date).
• "Plane crash in India: Boeing 787 Dreamliner catches fire and kills over 240," The Guardian (no date).
• "Boeing's 787 Dreamliner crashes in India, killing over 240," CNN (no date).
• "Air India crash: what we know so far," Al Jazeera (no date).
• "India's aviation regulator investigates Air India crash," Reuters (no date).
• "Tata to give Rs10mn to each family that lost relatives in Air India crash," The Economic Times (no date).