An Air India flight bound to London and carrying 242 passengers and crew members crashed shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad.
The passengers included 169 Indians, 53 U.K. nationals, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian. India’s federal health minister said that “many people” were killed in the crash, which occurred in a dense civilian area. The flight was a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, marking the first-ever crash of that model.
“The building on which it has crashed is a doctors’ hostel. … We have cleared almost 70% to 80% of the area and will clear the rest soon,” a senior police officer told reporters, Reuters reported.
At least five students at B.J. Medical College were killed in the Air India crash, according to Minakshi Parikh, the college’s dean. The aircraft hit a dining facility while 60 to 80 students were inside.
“Most of the students escaped, but 10 or 12 were trapped in the fire,” she said, the New York Times reported. “The smoke was very thick.”
Amit Dongre, Ahmedabad’s chief fire officer, said over 70 fire trucks were on site, containing the blaze.
“The tragedy in Ahmedabad has stunned and saddened us. It is heartbreaking beyond words. In this sad hour, my thoughts are with everyone affected by it. Have been in touch with Ministers and authorities who are working to assist those affected,” Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a post on X.
Air India Chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran expressed his “deepest condolences” to “the families and loved ones of all those affected by this devastating event.”
“We are doing everything in our power to assist the emergency response teams at the site and to provide all necessary support and care to those impacted,” he added. “Further updates will be shared as we receive more verified information. An emergency centre has been activated and support team have been set up for families seeking information.”
Videos from the scene showed a plume of smoke at the crash site.
A statement from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, India’s aircraft regulator, said the pilot had 8,200 hours of flight experience while the co-pilot had 1,100. The plane sent a mayday signal to air traffic control shortly before crashing.
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The flight crashed almost immediately after takeoff, hitting the ground about a runway distance away from the landing strip. A video of the crash shows the plane making a slow and steady descent before crashing.
Vijay Rupani, a prominent member of India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, was reportedly on board the plane.