A London-bound passenger plane carrying 242 people crashed shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad, in western India. The aircraft, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner operating as Flight AI171, was en route to London Gatwick.
The plane issued a mayday call to air traffic control moments after departure, but no further communication was received. Tracking data indicated the last signal was received when the plane was at an altitude of just 625 feet, only seconds into the flight.
The aircraft came down in a densely populated residential area near the airport. Eyewitnesses reported seeing thick black smoke rising from the crash site, and video footage shows flames and chaos in the area.
Emergency responders, including ambulances, firefighters, and civic workers, rushed to the scene within minutes. Efforts are still underway to extinguish the blaze and search for survivors. Rescue teams continue to work amid difficult conditions, navigating the wreckage and battling ongoing fires.
There were 169 Indian nationals aboard, as well as 53 Britons, one Canadian national, and seven Portuguese nationals. The crash has prompted a coordinated response from Indian authorities, with senior police officials confirming the aircraft struck a doctors’ hostel in the area.
The situation on the ground remains critical as rescue operations continue. Authorities are working to confirm the number of casualties and injured. Families of those on board are being contacted, and local hospitals have been placed on high alert.
The UK government has announced it is cooperating with Indian authorities to determine what happened and provide assistance to those affected. Investigators will begin work to uncover the cause of the crash, including reviewing flight data and cockpit voice recordings, once it is safe to access the wreckage.
