An Air India flight bound for London crashed shortly after takeoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad, India, on Thursday.

The aircraft, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, was operating Flight AI171 to London Gatwick when the incident occurred.

According to reports from Asian News International (ANI) and Reuters, at least 242 passengers were on board at the time of the crash. However, official confirmation of the total number of passengers and crew is still pending.

Thick plumes of black smoke were seen rising from the crash site near Meghani Nagar, a densely populated area adjacent to the airport. Emergency response teams, including fire brigades and ambulances, were immediately dispatched to the scene.

Air India released a statement acknowledging the incident, stating, “Flight AI171, operating Ahmedabad-London Gatwick, was involved in an incident today, 12 June 2025. At this moment, we are ascertaining the details and will share further updates at the earliest.”

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) confirmed that the aircraft took off at 1:17 PM local time and crashed within minutes. The flight was under the command of Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, with First Officer Clive Kundar assisting.

Authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the crash, with officials from the DGCA and Air India expected to conduct a thorough assessment.

The Gujarat government has assured swift action and support for those affected by the incident.