The accident occurred with Air India flight number AI171, departing at around 1:49 p.m. (local time) from Ahmedabad (India) to gatwick Airport ( London, UK).
The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed about five minutes after takeoff, in the Meghani Nagar residential area, outside the airport area, according to the India Times.
According to local police, at least 242 people were on the crashed plane, including 230 passengers, 2 pilots and 10 crew members.
At the scene, a column of thick smoke and a large fire appeared in a residential area near the airport.
Air India confirmed that flight AI171 had a problem. The plane is expected to land at 6:15 p.m. at gatwick airport.
Air India Chairman N. Chandrasekaran confirmed the accident. On the official account of Tata Group, he expressed his deep condolences to the victims' families and pledged maximum support. An emergency center and support team were set up to provide information to the relatives of the passengers on the flight.
According to data from the FlightRadar24 tracking site, the last signal from the plane was recorded at an altitude of 190m, just a few seconds after takeoff.
Air traffic control at Ahmedabad airport said the plane had sent a "Mayday" emergency signal, then there was no response.
Indian Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu said rescue forces have been mobilized and are in a state of highest alert. He affirmed that he is directly monitoring the situation, and relief and medical support efforts are being implemented rapidly.
