Shock and grief: only a survivor after a devastating plane crash

Shock and grief: only a survivor after a devastating plane crash

Ahmedabad, Indien - On June 15, 2025, the first identified victims of the tragic plane crash in India were buried. The remains were handed over to the bereaved in white coffins, with relatives told that they were applied not to open the coffins. Eyewitnesses reported devastating scenes at the crash site, which were characterized by mutilated and charred corpses. The crash of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner of Air India happened on June 12, 2025, just five minutes after the start in Ahmedabad.

The plane was on its way to London and had a total of 242 people on board, including 230 passengers and 12 crew members. Of the passengers, 169 came from India, 53 from Great Britain, 7 from Portugal and 1 from Canada. The tragedy demanded at least 265 human lives, including 241 occupants of the aircraft and 24 other people who were on the ground.

Investigations and possible causes

The exact cause of the crash is currently unclear. Experts hope to obtain the results of the test by evaluating the flight writers, one of whom has so far been recovered. Although the aircraft had made an emergency call before the crash, many questions are still open. British and American investigators were sent to India to support the investigations. The search for survivors has now been completed and DNA tests for identifying the victims are underway.

A sole surviving passenger, a British citizen of Indian origin called Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, could be saved from the rubble. In a moving sign of respect, numerous members of the British royal family held a minute's silence during a parade on Saturday in London.

international reactions

The tragedy has triggered worldwide reactions. India's Minister of Aviation and Prime Minister expressed their sympathy, while international leaders, including the British Prime Minister and Germany's Foreign Minister, also showed sympathy. At least 52 British were among the victims of the flight. The government in India manages the situation and has tried to support the families concerned.

As statistical data show, aircraft gaps have decreased in recent years, but every tragic incident remains a shock for the living relatives and the population. According to Statista, there were 233 fatalities worldwide in 2022 through aircraft. Before the turn of the millennium, the annual number was over 1,000 victims.

The determination of this tragic incident continues, and the hope remains that future air travel can be more securely designed by the findings from this catastrophe. The loss of 265 life represents a painful memory of the dangers of aviation and requires intensive measures to avoid similar tragedies in the future.