Ahmedabad, India – The death toll from the catastrophic crash of a London-bound Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner has risen to at least 279, making it one of the deadliest aviation disasters of the 21st century. Officials continue to identify the victims through DNA matching, as grieving families await confirmation.

The aircraft issued a mayday call shortly before it plunged into a residential area in Ahmedabad around midday on Thursday, erupting into a massive fireball upon impact. The crash not only claimed the lives of 242 passengers and crew, but also killed at least 38 people on the ground, according to police sources.

Only one person survived the crash Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a 40-year-old British national who remains hospitalized. "Initially, I thought I was about to die, but then I opened my eyes and realized I was still alive," he told DD News.

The tragic event has left families devastated. "Nobody can fill the void left by loss," said Imtiyaz Ali, whose younger brother was on the ill-fated flight. Another mourner, Anil Patel, recalled seeing his son and daughter-in-law just before their departure. "I saw my child for the first time in two years. It was a great time. And now… there is nothing."

Emergency crews continued recovery operations on Saturday, removing burnt remains from the crash site. Two cranes were deployed to lift debris from the tail section of the aircraft, which had slammed into a hostel for medical staff.

Air India confirmed that the aircraft was carrying 169 Indian nationals, 53 British, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian, along with 12 crew members. The victims reportedly ranged from politicians to teenagers, including a local tea vendor.

Authorities are relying on DNA analysis to identify the remains, a process that is expected to take days. Many relatives have traveled to Ahmedabad to provide samples.

Indian Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu confirmed that one of the aircraft’s black boxes—a flight data recorder—had been recovered. The second black box is still being searched for, as investigators work to determine why the aircraft lost altitude immediately after takeoff.

The minister said inspections of Air India’s fleet of Dreamliners are underway, with eight out of 34 aircraft already checked. “We felt the need to extend surveillance of the Boeing 787 planes,” he said, adding that authorities would take “all necessary steps” to uncover the cause of the tragedy.

US aircraft manufacturer Boeing stated it is in contact with Air India and is “ready to support” the investigation. A source close to the case said it marks the first fatal crash involving a Boeing 787 Dreamliner since the aircraft entered commercial service.