Two hundred and forty one persons aboard the Air India plane bound for London died when the aircraft crashed moments after taking off from Ahmedabad on Thursday, the airline confirmed on Friday.

Only one of the 230 passengers on board survived and was being treated at a hospital, Air India stated. The person was identified as Vishwas Kumar Ramesh, a British citizen of Indian origin.

All 12 members of the crew were killed.

“The passengers comprised 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese nationals and one Canadian national,” the airline added.

The aircraft’s crash into the hostel building of the BJ Medical College in Meghaninagar area of Ahmedabad also killed at least four medical students on the ground, The Indian Express reported.

The number of deaths on the ground was unclear. While The Indian Express reported that at least 24 persons, including the four students, had died, The Washington Post quoted police officer Vishaka Dabral as saying that at least 28 persons had died at the crash site.

Dr Minakshi Parikh, dean of the medical college, told the newspaper that two more medical students were missing, while 20 persons were injured. Five of the injured students are in serious condition, she added.

Also read: ‘The ceiling began to fall’: Medical student describes Air India plane crashing into hostel mess

The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft, which was en route to London’s Gatwick airport from Ahmedabad, crashed just 33 seconds after taking off, the Hindustan Times reported. This is being viewed as the world’s worst aviation disaster in a decade.

The crash took place moments after the flight captain issued a Mayday distress call to the air traffic controller, with communication lost thereafter.

The aircraft had a full fuel tank on takeoff, leading to a massive explosion on impact, an unidentified police officer told The Indian Express. Thick plumes of black smoke billowed from the debris of the Dreamliner at the crash site roughly 3 km from the Ahmedabad airport, the Hindustan Times reported.

Civil Aviation Minister K Ram Mohan Naidu said on social media that an investigation had been initiated by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, in line with international protocols set by the International Civil Aviation Organization.

The government will also constitute a high-level committee comprising experts to examine the crash, to enhance aviation safety and prevent future tragedies, he added.

According to available flight data, the aircraft had reached a barometric altitude of 625 feet before descending vertically and crashing into a residential area within minutes.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation stated that the aircraft was under the command of Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, a line training captain with 8,200 hours of experience, and First Officer Clive Kundar, who had 1,100 hours of flying experience, The Indian Express reported.