Air India Dreamliner Crash: Death Toll Rises to 249, Tata Group Announces Additional Support for Ground Victims
The tragic Air India Dreamliner crash in Ahmedabad continues to send shockwaves across the nation. As of Saturday, the official death toll has risen to 249, making it one of the deadliest aviation tragedies in India’s recent history.
According to the latest reports, 241 people on board the ill-fated aircraft have lost their lives. In addition, several individuals who were on the ground at the time of the crash also fell victim to the accident. Many of these ground victims were students, doctors, hospital staff, and local residents from the densely populated Meghaninagar area near Ahmedabad airport.
In response to this heartbreaking disaster, Tata Group — the parent company of Air India — has stepped forward with multiple relief measures. The company has announced that every person who died on the ground due to the crash will receive a compensation amount of ₹1 crore. This gesture aims to provide financial relief to families who have unexpectedly lost their loved ones in this tragic incident.
Additionally, Tata Group has assured that all medical expenses for those injured in the crash will be fully covered. Emergency teams have been deployed to ensure timely treatment and counselling for survivors and their families.
The BJ Medical College hostel, which sustained significant damage due to the crash, will also be rebuilt with support from Tata Group. Many students living in the hostel were among the affected, and restoring this facility is being treated as a priority to ensure that displaced students have safe accommodation again soon.
Air India’s CEO, Campbell Wilson, released a heartfelt statement on Saturday expressing deep sorrow and solidarity with the victims and their families. He announced that, in addition to the compensation promised by Tata Sons, Air India will provide an interim payment of ₹25 lakh to each deceased passenger’s family and the lone survivor of the crash.
“To provide immediate financial support and help families cope with their sudden loss, Air India will make an interim payment of ₹25 lakh (approximately 21,000 GBP) to the next of kin of each victim and the only survivor. This is over and above the ₹1 crore (about 85,000 GBP) committed by Tata Sons,” Wilson said.
Emergency response teams, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), local police, and medical staff have been working tirelessly since the incident occurred. Rescue operations continued overnight to recover the deceased and help the injured receive urgent care.
Leaders and citizens across the country have expressed deep condolences and called for a thorough investigation to determine the exact cause of the crash. Early reports suggest that technical malfunction or pilot error might have played a role, but a detailed inquiry is underway to establish all facts.
Meanwhile, Air India and Tata Group have promised to remain in close contact with the victims’ families, ensuring that all necessary assistance — financial, emotional, and logistical — is extended without delay.
This tragedy has left a void that can never be filled, but the country stands united in grief and solidarity with those who have suffered unimaginable loss.