A passenger plane with at least 242 people on board has crashed in the Indian city of Ahmedabad.
Air India has announced that flight AI171 from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick was “involved in an incident today”.
“At this moment, we are ascertaining the details and will share further updates at the earliest.”
Police confirmed to Reuters news agency that the plane crashed in a “civilian area” near the airport. Footage circulating on social media shows black fumes “billowing” from a wreckage, with one video appearing to show the plane descending before a exploding into a large fireball.
Speaking to the Associated Press, Faiz Ahmed Kidwai, the director general of the directorate of civil aviation, confirmed that there were 232 passengers and 12 crew members onboard the Air India flight.
The aircraft is believed to be a Boeing 787 Dreamliner and if confirmed this will be the first fatal crash involving a 787.
An aviation source has confirmed to Reuters that 53 British nationals were onboard the flight. The source said there were also 169 Indian, one Canadian and seven Portuguese passengers.
In a statement via the BBC, DGCA, India’s aviation regulator, said the flight “crashed immediately after take-off from Ahmedabad.”
In a post on X, the flight tracking website Flight Radar says: “We are following reports of a crash of Air India flight #AI171, external from Ahmedabad to London.
“We received the last signal from the aircraft at 08:08:51 UTC, just seconds after take off.”
Gatwick Airport have released a statement confirming that the plane was due to land there tonight.
“We can confirm that flight AI171 that crashed on departure from Ahmedabad Airport today was due to land at London Gatwick at 18:25,” they wrote.
India’s aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu has said that he is “shocked and devastated” by the crash.
“I am personally monitoring the situation and have directed all aviation and emergency response agencies to take swift and coordinated action,” he said.
“Rescue teams have been mobilised, and all efforts are being made to ensure medical aid and relief support are being rushed to the site.
“My thoughts and prayers are with all those on board and their families.”