Ahmedabad Plane Crash: 24 Hours on, Official Death Toll Yet to be Announced; Black Box Found

New Delhi: More than 24 hours after the London-bound Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed moments after take-off near the Ahmedabad airport, impacting the hostel building of B.J. Medical College, a final death toll is yet to be announced by authorities. Meanwhile, the black box has been recovered from the crash site.

While Air India confirmed early on Friday that 241 of the 242 people on board had died, the toll from the aircraft’s impact on the state-run B.J. Medical College and Hospital, at whose hostel mess the students were dining at the time of the crash is yet to be officially announced.

On Thursday evening, Ahmedabad police released a list of 25 people who were injured in the plane crash.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union ministers, including home minister Amit Shah and civil aviation minister K. Ram Mohan Naidu, have visited Ahmedabad since the crash, but have not yet revealed an official enumeration of the final death toll. 

Kinjarapu who had faced criticism on social media for posting a video from the crash site with background music and slow motion edits had said that a probe had been ordered on Thursday. On Friday evening, the minister said that the "Flight Data Recorder (Black Box) has been recovered within 28 hours from the accident site in Ahmedabad by AAIB", but he did not provide the death toll.

The Wire lists who said what after the plane crash.

Modi visits Ahmedabad

On Friday morning, Modi visited Ahmedabad and inspected the crash site, met the victims at the civil hospital, including the lone survivor from the ill-fated plane – a 40-year-old British citizen named Vishwas Ramesh. He also met the family of former Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani, who was on the flight. 

"Visited the crash site in Ahmedabad today. The scene of devastation is saddening. Met officials and teams working tirelessly in the aftermath. Our thoughts remain with those who lost their loved ones in this unimaginable tragedy," he said in a tweet.

After meeting victims at the hospital, Modi tweeted that he had “assured them that we are with them and their families in this tough time.”

“The entire nation is praying for their speedy recovery,” he wrote.

Videos were posted on PIB and DD News of Modi’s visit in Ahmedabad, including a photograph of Modi standing below the wreckage of the plane. However, he did not give any statement to the media. 

Earlier on Thursday, British prime minister Keir Starmer had given a statement after 53 Britons were killed in the crash. US President Donald Trump has also spoken to the US media and given a statement on the crash.

‘No one can stop an accident’

On Thursday evening, Amit Shah, after inspecting the crash site in Ahmedabad and meeting officials and victims at the city’s civil hospital, lauded the Gujarat government’s relief efforts, and said that “there was no possibility of saving anyone” as the flight had 1.5 lakh tonnes of fuel. He added that “no one can stop an accident”.

“I want to reiterate once again that this is an accident and no one can stop an accident. But the government's alertness for such an incident for 365 days and 24 hours is tested when such an incident takes place. And today Gujarat's disaster management's preparedness has been seen in this unfortunate incident in front of the whole country,” said Shah while speaking to reporters on Thursday night.

Shah said that the Gujarat government immediately alerted all departments of disaster management including health, police, fire departments and the Indian government also contacted CAPF to start on relief operations, “it was not possible to save anyone” as the flight was carrying 1.5 lakh tonnes of fuel.

“But 1.5 lakh tonnes of fuel was on the flight and the temperature had risen so much that there was no possibility of saving anyone.”

Shah said that “the exact number of deceased will only be confirmed by authorities after DNA identification is complete” but did not clarify about the relation between the enumeration of the death toll and the DNA identification which would identify victims, rather than the number of victims. 

‘Black box recovered within 28 hours’

Civil aviation minister Naidu on Friday evening said that the "Flight Data Recorder (Black Box) has been recovered within 28 hours from the accident site in Ahmedabad by AAIB". He also did not provide the death toll.

He visited the site on Thursday evening, and stressed on how he was in a “state of shock” but shortly after released a video on social media of him inspecting the site with music in the background.

“I am totally shaken by the incident that has happened today near Ahmedabad Airport. It was very tragic and horrific. Till now, I have to say I am in a state of shock. When the event happened I was in Vijayawada, reviewing the airport for a state programme but the moment I got to know about this incident I wanted to be here physically at the site. The Honourable PM also asked me to be here. Right now I can only think about passengers, families and the civilians who were at the crash site,” he said while speaking to reporters on Thursday evening.

While the minister said that “all he can think about passengers, families and the civilians who were at the crash site”, he also said that numbers will still have to be found.

“We still have to find the numbers. I don't want to give the wrong numbers,” he said.

No toll from police, NDRF yet

On Friday, Director in General, NDRF, Hari Om Gandhi said to reporters that six teams are working in the crash but did not provide any further details.

“Six teams are here and are currently working. Official information will be provided by the concerned officers. We request you to please wait, we will answer all questions shortly,” he said.

Also on Thursday evening, Ahmedabad Police Commissioner G.S. Malik had told ANI that there was only one survivor from the plane, but did not disclose the toll from the impact on the hostel and said that it is expected to rise.

"The police found one survivor in seat 11A. Cannot say anything about the number of deaths yet. The death toll may increase as the flight crashed in a residential area."

Meanwhile, Vidhi Chaudhary, a top police officer in Ahmedabad, told Reuters more than 240 people were killed on Thursday, revising an earlier toll of 294.

The Wire is now on WhatsApp. Follow our channel for sharp analysis and opinions on the latest developments.