An Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner, operating from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick airport, crashed shortly after takeoff from on Thursday afternoon. All 242 people on board are feared dead.

 

The plane had 242 people on board, including two pilots and 10 cabin crew members. 169 Indians, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian national were on board. Later in the evening, the police confirmed that all 242 passengers on board the aircraft had died in the crash, said an Indian Express report.

 

The plane, which lost altitude soon after take-off, crashed into residential quarters of BJ Medical College doctors in Ahmedabad’s Meghaninagar area on Thursday, causing severe damage to buildings in the premises, eyewitnesses said.

 

A large number of residents are feared dead after the aircraft crashed into Atulyam, which is the superspeciality doctors’ residence. The incident took place when around 200 people were residing in the building’s 94 flats, Indian Express quoting sources in CISF said.

 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the incident has “stunned and saddened everyone”. 

 

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport (SVPIA) in Ahmedabad has been shut till further notice. State officials said the crash took place around nine minutes after the plane got clearance for takeoff. According to officials at the spot, dense smoke posed a challenge to rescue operations, which are still underway.

 

A statement issued by Air India read, “Flight AI171, operating Ahmedabad-London Gatwick, was involved in an incident today. At this moment, we are ascertaining the details and will share further updates at the earliest.” Air India has also set up a dedicated passenger hotline number, 1800 5691 444, to provide more information.

 

Ahmedabad Civil Hospital’s trauma centre saw severely burnt bodies coming in, many of which were beyond identification, following the crash.

 

Dr Pranjal Modi, director of the Institute of Kidney Diseases and Research Centre, located on the hospital campus, told The Indian Express that even the survivors, who were unconscious, had suffered severe burns. It is not yet clear whether the survivors are from the flight or from the site where the plane crashed.

 

“Most of the patients (crash victims) are seriously injured… they are not identifiable, faces are burnt, their skin is burnt to a great extent… they are unconscious. Our priority is to help them survive”, said Dr Modi, who was attending to the families of the victims.