An Air India flight with 242 people on board en route London Gatwick has crashed shortly after departing Ahmedabad Airport, resulting in a major aviation disaster.
The plane has 230 passengers (including 11 children) and 12 crew members went down near the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad, crashing into a densely populated civilian area not far from the runway.
Passengers included 169 Indian, 53 British, seven Portuguese and one Canadian nationals.
Rescue teams, including the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), are working to locate survivors.
The number of casualties has not yet been officially released, but visuals from the scene show victims being carried on stretchers and rushed into ambulances as emergency crews battle flames and thick black smoke billowing from the wreckage.
Television footage captured scenes of devastation—charred debris, damaged buildings, and stunned bystanders watching rescue teams scramble to control the situation.
“The details are still emerging. We are assessing the situation and will share verified updates shortly,” Air India says in a statement posted on X, formerly Twitter.
The crash of the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner reportedly occurred during takeoff.
The impact also damaged several nearby structures, though the full extent of the destruction is yet to be confirmed. Rescue operations are underway, and hospitals across the city have been placed on high alert.
