A police official in India reported on Saturday that the number of bodies recovered from the wreckage of a passenger plane that crashed into a residential area in Ahmedabad has risen to 279.

The updated death toll, provided by a senior city officer who spoke on condition of anonymity, surpasses the previously confirmed figure of 265.

This latest update places the tragedy among the most fatal aviation accidents of the 21st century.

Air India confirmed that 242 individuals were aboard the flight headed to London’s Gatwick Airport, with only one person surviving the crash.

At least 38 people on the ground lost their lives when the aircraft plowed into residential buildings near the airport.

Authorities have noted that the official death toll will remain uncertain until the lengthy process of DNA identification is completed.

According to Air India, the flight carried 169 Indian nationals, 53 British citizens, seven Portuguese passengers, and one Canadian, in addition to 12 crew members.

The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner reportedly issued a distress call shortly before the crash, which occurred around midday on Thursday just moments after the jet had ascended roughly 100 meters (330 feet) into the air.

On Friday, investigators retrieved one of the aircraft’s black box recorders from the wreckage, while forensic teams continued the search for the second device.

Boeing, the American manufacturer of the aircraft, stated it was in contact with Air India and expressed its willingness to assist in the investigation.

A source familiar with the case noted that this marked the first recorded crash involving a 787 Dreamliner.