Air India Flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner flying from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, crashed shortly after takeoff on Thursday, carrying 242 passengers.
The incident took place between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. local time, minutes after the plane departed Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport.
The aircraft reportedly reached an altitude of about 825 feet before it began to descend and went down near the Meghaninagar area. Visuals from the site showed a thick column of smoke rising near the crash zone.
Air India confirmed the incident in a statement, saying it was still gathering details. Emergency teams, including more than 20 ambulances, were sent to the location.
Several passengers have been moved to nearby hospitals for treatment. Fire and medical rescue operations are ongoing at the site.
Officials have closed off roads around the area and have rerouted traffic to allow rescue teams access. The Civil Aviation Ministry is monitoring the situation, and Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu said that all relevant agencies have been directed to respond quickly.
Flight AI171 had just departed from runway 23 when it issued a MAYDAY call, according to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation. Communication with air traffic control was lost soon after.
