The deadly crash of an Air India flight carrying more than 240 people on Thursday arrives after years of efforts to turn around the country’s flag carrier — which had been plagued by tragedy and financial losses under prior state ownership.

Air India has confirmed that one passenger survived Thursday's airplane crash, which had 242 passengers and crew members on board.

The crash is Dreamliner's first fatal crash as the plane had a stellar safety record, delivering 1,000 planes safely in 14 years.

The lone passenger who survived the Air India crash that killed 241 people onboard couldn’t believe he was alive when he opened his eyes, surrounded by flames, debris and charred bodies.