Grieving families are anxiously awaiting updates following one of the deadliest air tragedies in recent history. The death toll has now reached 279 individuals who lost their lives in the tragic crash of an Indian passenger jet.

The Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner made a distress call shortly before crashing on Thursday, erupting into flames upon impact with residential buildings. Authorities have recovered 279 bodies from the crash site in Ahmedabad, marking it as one of the most devastating plane accidents of the 21st century.

Out of the 242 individuals on board - 230 passengers and 12 crew members - only one person survived the crash. The tailpiece of the aircraft can be seen protruding from a medical staff hostel where the plane came down.

Tragically, at least 38 individuals on the ground lost their lives as a result of the crash.