A PASSENGER plane with 53 Brits on board has erupted into a fireball after crashing into a doctors’ hostel in India.
At least 242 people were on board the Air India aircraft as footage shows it smashing into a residential area in Ahmedabad.
The plane was headed to London Gatwick, Air India confirmed.
There were 230 passengers and 12 crew on board, the director general of the Directorate of Civil Aviation announced.
Also on the flight were 169 Indian nationals, a Canadian and seven Portuguese travellers.
The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner lost contact just seconds after take-off, according to flight tracking website Flightradar.
The final alert was last logged at 1:38pm local time – less than a minute after it started the journey.
It had only reached 625ft at the time, officials believe.
Sir Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, expressed his sorrow over the incident involving a London-bound plane carrying numerous British citizens that crashed in Ahmedabad, India.
Officials are yet to comment on the number of casualties with investigations still ongoing.
Prior to the crash, footage captured the Boeing 787 Dreamliner flying at a low altitude over the residential area of Meghani Nagar, showing the pilots making frantic efforts to maintain the aircraft’s altitude.
Moments later it is seen disappearing behind buildings before a huge blast erupts in the distance.
Thick plumes of black smoke can be seen quickly pouring into the skies.
The Ahmedabad Fire and Emergency Services Department quickly deployed over five fire-fighting teams to the site as well as dozens of ambulances.
A senior police officer in Ahmedabad told ANI news agency the plane crashed into a doctors’ hostel.
Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu, the Civil Aviation Minister, added in a statement: “Shocked and devastated to learn about the flight crash in Ahmedabad.
“We are on highest alert. My thoughts and prayers are with all those on board and their families.”
Read our live blog on the Air India plane crash…
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30 bodies recovered from building at crash site, rescue workers say
At least 30 bodies have reportedly been recovered from a building at the site of the plane crash, according to rescue personnel at the site.
More people were trapped inside, they added.
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30 bodies recovered from building at crash site, rescue workers say
At least 30 bodies have reportedly been recovered from a building at the site of the plane crash, according to rescue personnel at the site.
More people were trapped inside, they added.
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Video shows Boeing Dreamliner crash into doctors’ hostel
Air India passenger plane ‘carrying up to 242 people heading for UK’ crashes in fireball near Ahmedabad Airport
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‘Crash heartbreaking beyond words’ – Indian PM
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said the crash is “heartbreaking beyond words”.
He added: “The tragedy in Ahmedabad has stunned and saddened us.
“In this sad hour, my thoughts are with everyone affected by it.”
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Pictures: Rescuers at the site of a plane crash
Credit: AP 
Credit: AP -
Map: Tragic final seconds of crash
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Pictures: Plane’s landing gear and part of fuselage inside destroyed building
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Plane gave mayday call before crash
India’s aviation regulator DGCA has said the doomed plane gave a mayday call before the crash.
The statement said it gave a mayday call to air traffic control, but thereafter no response was given by the aircraft.
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King is being ‘kept updated’
The King is being kept updated on the developing situation after a Gatwick-bound Air India plane crashed, Buckingham Palace said.
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Foreign Secretary David Lammy ‘deeply saddened by news’
Foreign Secretary David Lammy has said he is “deeply saddened by news” of the crash.
The Prime Minister extended his sympathies to those impacted by the tragedy and assured that the UK government is collaborating with Indian authorities to promptly investigate the incident and offer assistance to those affected.
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Boeing makes first statement
Boeing has made its first statement since the Air India crash.
It read: “We are aware of initial reports and are working to gather more information.”
The plane that crashed is a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner.
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Air India passenger helpline
Air India has “set up a dedicated passenger hotline number”.
Families looking for more information can call 1800 5691 444.
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Pilots had ‘nearly 10,000 hours flying experience’
The pilots of the plane that crashed had nearly 10,000 hours of flying experience between them, local media reports.
The captain had 8,200 hours of experience and their co-pilot had 1,100, according to NDTV, citing the Directorate General of Civil Aviation.
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Sir Keir Starmer: ‘scenes are devastating’
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said “the scenes emerging of a London-bound plane carrying many British nationals crashing in the Indian city of Ahmedabad are devastating”, adding he was being kept updated as the situation develops.
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Foreign office ‘working with local authorities’
The UK’s foreign office has put out a statement on the Air India plane crash.
The statement said: “We are aware of a plane crash in Ahmedabad.
“The UK is working with local authorities in India to urgently establish the facts and provide support to those involved.”
Brits who have concerns can call 0207 008 5000, it added.
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Air India plane crashed on a hostel building for doctors
The Air India plane crashed into a hostel building for doctors, a police official has said.
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Some other airline accidents in India in recent decades
August 2020: At least 18 people died and 16 were severely injured when an Air India Express Boeing 737 plane skidded off the runway in the southern city of Kozhikode during heavy rain, plunged into a valley and crashed nose-first into the ground.
May 2010: An Air India Boeing 737 flight from Dubai overshot the runway at the airport in the southern city of Mangaluru and crashed into a ravine, killing 158 people on board
July 2000: More than 50 people were killed when a state-owned Alliance Air flight between Kolkata and the capital, New Delhi, crashed in a residential area of the eastern city of Patna.
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Crashed flight ‘had 53 British, 169 Indian, 1 Canadian and 7 Portuguese passengers’ – source
There were 53 Brits on board, as well as 169 Indian, 1 Canadian and 7 Portuguese passengers.
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Pilot ‘made mayday signal’ before crash
The pilot managed to make a mayday call before crash, according to aviation expert Julian Bray who spoke to Sky News.
This reportedly means the crew would have been aware of an issue prior to the incident happening.
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All Ahmedabad airport flights suspended
Ahmedabad airport has suspended all its flights until further notice and is not operational, a spokesperson from the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad said.
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242 passengers and crew on board
Here is Air India’s statement in full: “Air India confirms that flight AI171, from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, was involved in an accident today after take-off.
“The flight, which departed from Ahmedabad at 1338 hrs, was carrying 242 passengers and crew members on board the Boeing 787-8 aircraft.
“Of these, 169 are Indian nationals, 53 are British nationals, 1 Canadian national and 7 Portuguese nationals.
“The injured are being taken to the nearest hospitals.
“We have also set up a dedicated passenger hotline number 1800 5691 444 to provide more information.
“Air India is giving its full cooperation to the authorities investigating this incident.”
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‘First ever’ Boeing 787 crash
This is the first ever crash of a Boeing 787 aircraft, according to the Aviation Safety Network.
The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner heading to London that crashed has a total of 256 seats, according to SeatGuru.
It was scheduled to land at 18:25 at Gatwick.
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Crash in pictures
Credit: AP 
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Gatwick Airport confirms plane was due to land in London
In a statement on X, Gatwick Airport said: “We can confirm that flight AI171 that crashed on departure from Ahmedabad Airport today was due to land at London Gatwick at 18:25.”
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‘We are on highest alert’ says minister
India’s aviation minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu said: “We are on highest alert.
“I am personally monitoring the situation and have directed all aviation and emergency response agencies to take swift and coordinated action.
“Rescue teams have been mobilised, and all efforts are being made to ensure medical aid and relief support are being rushed to the site.
“My thoughts and prayers are with all those on board and their families.”
