Grieving families in India are anxiously awaiting updates following one of the deadliest aviation tragedies in recent history, as the death toll from the Indian passenger jet crash has now reached 279.

The Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner made a distress call shortly before crashing during takeoff from Ahmedabad, turning into a fireball upon impact with residential buildings.

Authorities revealed that 279 bodies have been retrieved from the crash site in Ahmedabad, marking it as one of the most severe plane accidents of the 21st century.

Out of the 242 passengers and crew on board, only one person survived the crash, with at least 38 individuals losing their lives on the ground.

Family members of the victims have been providing DNA samples in Ahmedabad to aid in the identification process, which is still ongoing before the official casualty count can be determined.

The passengers onboard included 169 Indians, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese citizens, a Canadian, and 12 crew members, with casualties ranging from prominent figures to ordinary citizens.

The sole survivor, Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, shared his astonishment at surviving the crash, expressing his disbelief at the turn of events.

Efforts are underway to locate the second black box of the aircraft as investigators seek to understand the circumstances that led to the crash just moments after takeoff.

Boeing has pledged its assistance to Air India following the incident, as the aviation industry grapples with the aftermath of the first crash involving a 787 Dreamliner.