• 279 bodies have been recovered from the Air India crash site, making it the second deadliest air disaster this century.
• U.S. officials, including the NTSB and FAA, are investigating the crash, with focus on various technical aspects.
• DNA profiling is ongoing to identify deceased victims, with 32 matches confirmed so far.

Rescue operations have confirmed that 279 bodies were recovered from the crash site of the Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, which crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad, India. This incident has now become the second deadliest air disaster of the 21st century, trailing only behind Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 in 2014, which had 298 fatalities. The flight, which was headed to London, had 242 people on board, with only one survivor reported. On the ground, at least 38 individuals were killed when the aircraft struck residential buildings, raising the total death toll to around 317, according to SCMP.

U.S. officials from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have commenced investigations at the crash site, following reports the plane experienced a descent just moments after takeoff. The aircraft crashed into buildings, leading to a large fire explosion. According to U.S. Department of Transport Secretary Sean Duffy, a team from the NTSB and FAA is on site to assist with the investigation. Both Boeing and GE are also sending teams to analyze the incident, which poses significant challenges for Air India as it seeks to enhance its operational safety, according to Reuters and Dawn.

The investigation will primarily focus on the aircraft's technical issues, such as engine thrust and deployment of the landing gear, which reportedly remained open during takeoff. India's aviation authority has mandated inspections on all local Boeing 787 aircraft. Meanwhile, efforts to identify the charred remains of victims are ongoing, and medical teams have resorted to DNA profiling, with 32 samples matched thus far, enabling the handover of these bodies to families, as confirmed by Rajnish Patel, the additional superintendent at the main hospital in Ahmedabad, according to SCMP, Reuters, and Dawn.