At least 30 bodies have been recovered from the site of a devastating plane crash in Ahmedabad, where an Air India flight bound for London crashed into a residential building shortly after takeoff on Thursday. Rescue workers continue to search through the wreckage, with more people feared trapped inside the building.
The aircraft, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner carrying 242 people, including 11 children, was en route to Gatwick Airport in the UK when it issued a distress call minutes after departure. It crashed into a doctors’ hostel near the airport, sparking a massive fire and chaos in the densely populated area.
“Approximately 70 to 80 percent of the area has been cleared,” a senior police officer told reporters at the scene. “We are working to reach anyone who may still be trapped.”
Air India confirmed the crash and said the flight included 169 Indian nationals, 53 Britons, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian. “We are currently assessing the situation and will provide further updates,” the airline said in a post on X (formerly Twitter), adding that the injured are being rushed to nearby hospitals.
India’s federal health minister confirmed that “many people” have been killed, though a full casualty count has yet to be released. Emergency services were seen pulling survivors from the rubble, with ambulances transporting the injured to local hospitals.
The aircraft departed from runway 23 at Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at 1:39 p.m. local time. Air traffic control reported receiving a “Mayday” call moments after takeoff, indicating an emergency. Communication with the plane was lost shortly after.
Television footage showed a fireball erupting from the crash site, with black smoke billowing over the residential area. Eyewitness videos captured the moment the plane flew low over rooftops before vanishing from view, followed by a massive explosion.
Flightradar24 confirmed the aircraft involved was a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, one of the most advanced commercial aircraft in service. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
Local authorities have cordoned off the area and launched an emergency response operation, with disaster management teams, firefighters, and police working through the night. Indian civil aviation authorities are expected to begin a formal investigation once the rescue efforts conclude.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences on social media and said that all possible assistance would be extended to the victims and their families.
