Ahmedabad plane crash: Video and photos of the aftermath of the tragedy

In a devastating turn of events, Air India Flight AI 171, bound for London Gatwick Airport, crashed shortly after takeoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad on Thursday. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner was carrying 244 people, including 232 passengers and 12 crew members. Authorities fear there are no survivors.

The flight departed at 1:38 PM local time and lost contact with air traffic control just five minutes later. According to initial reports from India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the aircraft crashed into the densely populated Meghani Nagar residential area, located close to the airport.

Eyewitnesses described scenes of horror as the aircraft plummeted from the sky, striking buildings and erupting into flames. "We heard two loud explosions, and then everything shook," said a local resident. Smoke billowed high into the sky, visible from several kilometres away.

Emergency services, including fire brigades, ambulances, and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), rushed to the scene. Rescue efforts have been hampered by the intensity of the fire, fueled by the jet's full fuel load for the transcontinental flight.

India's Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu confirmed that all available resources have been deployed to manage the aftermath. "We are on the highest alert. I am personally monitoring the situation," he posted on X (formerly Twitter). He assured that medical aid and support teams are being sent to assist both the victims' families and those affected in the local area.

Air India's chairman, Natarajan Chandrasekaran, also issued a statement expressing deep sorrow. "Our primary focus is on supporting the affected families. An emergency response centre has been activated, and our thoughts and prayers are with everyone impacted by this tragedy," he said.