Tragedy struck Thursday morning as an Air India flight carrying 242 people crashed shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad, in western India, en route to London’s Gatwick Airport.
Officials confirmed the aircraft, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, went down in a civilian area near the airport. India’s Health Minister said “many people” have died, though the full extent of casualties is still being assessed.
According to police, the plane struck a building identified as a doctor’s hostel. Rescue efforts have cleared around 70% to 80% of the debris, with emergency teams continuing operations at the scene.
Air India disclosed that the passengers included 217 adults and 11 children. Of the total onboard, 169 were Indian nationals, 53 were from the UK, seven were Portuguese, and one was Canadian.
“The injured are being rushed to nearby hospitals,” Air India said in a post on social media platform X. “We are in the process of verifying details and will provide updates as they become available.”
Flightradar24, an aviation tracking service, confirmed the aircraft was a Dreamliner—among the most advanced passenger jets currently in service. Television footage captured the plane ascending over a residential neighborhood moments before it vanished from view, followed by a massive fireball erupting in the distance.
Authorities are investigating the cause of the crash, which has sent shockwaves across India and abroad.
