JUST IN: London-Bound Flight with 242 Passengers Crashes; Casualty Count Unknown

An Air India flight bound for London with 242 people on board crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad airport on Thursday, prompting an emergency response from authorities. The aircraft, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, lost contact with air traffic control moments after issuing a Mayday signal and went down in a civilian area near the airport.

The flight, which had departed at 1:39 p.m. local time, was en route to Gatwick Airport in the United Kingdom. On board were 217 adults and 11 children, including 169 Indian nationals, 43 British citizens, seven Portuguese nationals, and one Canadian. While no official confirmation has been given on casualties, visuals from the crash site showed a massive fireball, debris in flames, thick black smoke, and injured passengers being transported by ambulance.

Tracking data from Flightradar24 confirmed that the last signal from the aircraft was received just seconds after takeoff. Air India stated it is still gathering details and will provide further updates. The airline identified the aircraft as registered VT-ANB.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has instructed the aviation ministry to mobilize immediate rescue efforts, with all relevant agencies placed on high alert. Ahmedabad airport has suspended flight operations indefinitely as emergency teams continue to respond.

This is the first major air crash in India since 2020, when an Air India Express flight skidded off the runway in Kozhikode, resulting in 21 fatalities. Air India, once state-owned, was acquired by Tata Group in 2022 and merged with Vistara in 2024. The conglomerate has activated an emergency center and support team to assist families of those on board.