The death toll from the devastating plane crash in Ahmedabad has climbed to 279, according to an Indian police official who spoke on condition of anonymity Saturday.
The revised number reflects the recovery of additional bodies from the crash site, surpassing the earlier estimate of 265 fatalities.
The disaster, now among the deadliest aviation accidents of the 21st century, involved an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner en route to London’s Gatwick Airport. Of the 242 people aboard, only one passenger survived.
Authorities also confirmed that at least 38 people on the ground perished when the aircraft plowed into residential buildings near the airport.
Air India reported that the flight carried 169 Indian nationals, 53 British citizens, seven Portuguese passengers, one Canadian, and 12 crew members.
The final death toll will not be confirmed until the completion of the DNA identification process, which officials say could take time.
The aircraft had issued a mayday call shortly after takeoff on Thursday and crashed just moments later, having climbed only about 100 meters (330 feet) before losing control.
On Friday, investigators recovered one of the aircraft’s black box recorders. Forensic teams continue to search for the second. Boeing, the aircraft’s manufacturer, confirmed it is in contact with Air India and has offered technical support.
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A source familiar with the investigation noted this marks the first crash involving a Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
