Alert – Air India plane crash latest: Hunt for black box underway as airline’s safety record comes under scrutiny

Dr Prateek Joshi, a radiologist who died in the Air India plane crash, was a ‘wonderful man’ who entertained colleagues with stories about ‘his newly-discovered love of fish and chips and enthusiasm for walking in the Peak District’, a colleague who worked closely with him said.

Dr Rajeev Singh, consultant radiologist and clinical director for imaging at University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust (UHDB), said:

Prateek was full of joy, he was a wonderful man, friend, husband and father, and an exceptional radiologist who was highly respected in his field. He approached everything with a smile, radiated positivity and had a great sense of humour.

He moved to Derby, from India, in 2021, quickly becoming a beloved colleague. He often entertained colleagues with stories about his passions outside of work, including his newly-discovered love of fish and chips and enthusiasm for walking in the Peak District.

He touched the lives of so many people, both through his clinical work and as a colleague and friend to many.

The captain of the Air India plane that crashed with hundreds of people dead had made a heartbreaking vow to his elderly father just days before, it has been revealed.

The London Gatwick-bounded Dreamliner plane was carrying 242 passengers, including 53 Britons – with none on board thought to have survived except one UK national in seat 11A.

Among those believed to have died is Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, the pilot operating Air India flight AI171 – a Boeing 787 taking off from Ahmedabad in India.

Mr Sabharwal, who had 8,200 hours of experience, was named as the pilot of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

Read more here:

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has been in contact with the British survivor of the Air India plane crash, Vishwash Kumar Ramesh,  Downing Street has said.

A Number 10 spokesman said on Friday:

FCDO staff have been in contact with Mr Ramesh this morning to offer consular support.

The British High Commissioner in India Lindy Cameron also met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, according to Number 10, ‘offering her condolences and the UK’s support to the investigation’.

The spokesman also said the helpline set up by the Foreign Office in response to the crisis has received ‘almost 300’ calls as of Friday morning.

Air India has dismissed speculation that all Boeing 787 planes could be grounded in the wake of the tragedy in Ahmedabad.

Indian broadcaster NDTV reported reported the government was considering stopping all of Air India’s Boeing 787 fleet from flying in response to the crash on Thursday.

But in a statement provided to the BBC, Air India said: ‘This is not the case, at this point in time at least.’

Dr Prateek Joshi, a radiologist at the Royal Derby Hospital, was on the Air India flight with his family, Derby Hindu Temple said.

In a post on Facebook, the temple said the family were ‘devotees of our Mandir and supported us through their sincere service and dedication.

‘We pray to Lord Shiva to grant eternal peace to the departed souls and to give strength to the bereaved family to bear this immense loss.’

Dr Joshi flew to India two days before Thursday’s crash to bring his wife Dr Komi Vyas, their twin five-year-old sons, Nakul and Pradyut, and eight-year-old daughter Miraya back to the UK to start a new life together.

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by Ross Clark

.All plane crashes horrify us at a visceral level – but yesterday’s Air India disaster is in a league of its own. Flying is meant to be the safest form of travel, so when a near-total calamity such as this takes place, it speaks to our darkest fears.

These days, of course, videos filmed on mobile phones often compound the terror – and the fate of Flight 171 has been revealed on brief, grainy footage, shared across social media, showing the plane’s slow descent into a gigantic fireball.

So what really happened? Can any lessons be learned – and not just by the airline industry, but by passengers such as you and me?

Julian Bray is an aviation-security expert who has advised on some of the deadliest air disasters of the past 40 years. He is a former consultant to British Airways and Alitalia (he also revised several editions of the Italian carrier’s official safety manual).

Read the full story here:

Experts have raised concerns about what might have caused the fatal Air India crash – including potential problems with the Boeing 787’s wing flaps and landing gear.

Investigations are being stepped up following yesterday’s tragedy that killed hundreds of people aboard the London Gatwick-bound aircraft – and the Dreamliner’s wing flaps are coming under extra scrutiny as possibly to blame.

Experts viewing footage of the Air India Boeing 787-8 ahead of the crash have said its configuration on taking off from Ahmedabad airport in India ‘doesn’t look right’.

The Dreamliner plane was carrying 242 passengers, including 53 Britons – with none on board thought to have survived except one British national in seat 11A.

It has also been reported that an identical Boeing 787 made four emergency landings last month – an American Airlines plane with issues linked to its wing flaps not being properly deployed.

• Read the full story by Aidan Radnedge here

Internet conspiracy theorists believe they have found the moment one of the doomed Air India plane’s emergency doors flew off as it crashed – saving the Briton sat right next to it, can reveal today.

Footage of the moment the plane went down in Ahmedabad yesterday shows a mysterious object spinning away across the horizon before the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner explodes.

There is growing speculation the flying piece of fuselage could be the plane’s ’emergency door number two’ – within touching distance of the only survivor: Briton Vishwash Kumar Ramesh.

Mr Kumar’s seat was 11A, right next to the emergency door, which apparently came off when the plane struck a building and then blew up.

• Watch the video below and read the full story here

Boeing chief executive Kelly Ortberg has scrapped his trip to next week’s Paris air show, a major aviation industry event, to focus on the investigation of Air India’s Dreamliner crash.

‘As our industry prepares to start the Paris Air Show, (Boeing executive vice president) Stephanie (Pope) and I have both canceled plans to attend so we can be with our team, and focus on our customer and the investigation,’ Ortberg said in a message to employees obtained by AFP on Friday.

Relatives of the British plane crash survivor has said the family are desperately trying to get flights to India so they can see him in hospital.

Hiren Kantilal, 19, said he is close with Vishwash Kumar Ramesh and his brother Ajay, who was also on the flight.

He said:

We just want some help with flight tickets and everything, so we can get out of the country and meet our cousin brother. We are trying to get 14 to 13 people, relatives and family members and everyone.

We have not got any support from India or the UK Government at all. We’re just heartbroken that this thing happened to us and they’re not providing anything, flight tickets or anything.

Hiren said he had spoken to Vishwash who told him via video that the hospital have been ‘very good’ to him.

A student has told how traffic in Ahmedabad saved her life after it caused her to miss the doomed 171 flight by 10 minutes.

Bhumi Chauhan, who moved to London two years ago on a study visa, was due to return from a holiday in India on Thursday but was turned away at the gate.

Speaking to media in India, Ms Chauhan said:

We arrived at the check-in gate 10 minutes late, but they didn’t allow me, and I returned. They said that it would delay the flight further. I was late because of traffic in the Ahmedabad city area. When I came to know that the flight had crashed, I was totally numb. I thank my mother Goddess that I am safe, but the incident is absolutely terrifying.

Speaking to the BBC’s Gujarati service, she added:

Earlier I thought that Ahmedabad’s traffic would cost me my ticket money and my job. Even though I lost my money, I am happy that my life was saved.

Investigators have recovered the flight data recorder from the wreckage of flight 171 which may reveal why the plane crashed to the ground shortly after take off.

Anti-terrorism officers in Gujarat are reportedly in possession of the black box which stores technical data used to help authorities understand why the aircraft has crashed.

The “Directorate General of Civil Aviation team have recovered one black box from the crash site”, a senior state police officer told AFP.

A couple from Gloucester and their four-year-old daughter who died in the Air India plane crash were ‘widely loved and deeply respected’, their family has said in statement issued through their Imam.

Akeel Nanabawa, Hannaa Vorajee and their daughter Sara were yesterday confirmed as three of the 52 British nationals killed in the tragedy.

In a statement, relatives described the couple as ‘devoted parents’ and Sara as a ‘ray of sunshine in her school’.

It said:

They were widely loved and deeply respected. His quiet generosity, her warmth and kindness, and their daughter’s bright, joyful spirit made a lasting impact on everyone who knew them.

The speaker of the House of Commons, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, has paid tribute to passengers killed in the Air India crash on Thursday.

At the start of a sitting on Friday, Sir Lindsay told MPs:

Before we begin our proceedings today, I know that the whole House will have been horrified to hear the news of yesterday’s air crash of Air India flight from Gujurat to London.

On behalf of the House I can express our deep sorrow at this awful tragedy. I know that many colleagues have lost constituents and have suffered a devastating loss amongst those families, and they will be working tirelessly to support those families. Our thoughts are with them, and their friends, and the victims in India.

Sir Lindsay said he was expecting a statement from Government ministers to be made on Monday.

The first Air India departure to London Gatwick after the Ahmedabad tragedy has been cancelled, The Independent has reported.

Flight 145 from Mopa airport in Goa was due to depart at 1.05pm today, arriving 10 hours later in Britain.

It was expected to be operated on a Boeing 787-8 “Dreamliner”, the same type as the crash aircraft.

The Independent said it has not been able to assess the reason for the cancellation.

A grieving husband who was flying back to London after keeping a promise to his late wife to scatter her ashes in India has died in the Ahmedabad air disaster, has revealed.

Father-of-two Arjun Patolia was heading home to the UK on Air India flight AI-171 after visiting a village in Gujarat to hold a funeral and immerse his late wife Bharatiben’s floral urn in a local river.

The couple have two children, aged four and eight, who stayed at home in the UK and are now mourning the deaths of both their parents in the space of a week.

Patolia’s wife Bharatiben had tragically died just seven days ago in London and her dying wish was that her ashes were taken back to her home state in India.

Read more here:

The sole surviving passenger from the Air India crash said the lights on the plane ‘started flickering’ before the aircraft hit the ground.

Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, 40, told the Hindustan Times:

When the flight took off, within five to 10 seconds it felt like it was stuck in the air. Suddenly, the lights started flickering – green and white – then the plane rammed into some establishment that was there.

Mr Ramesh, who was sat in seat 11a next to an emergency exit, told the newspaper the section of the plane he was in landed on the ground, rather than hitting the roof of a building.

When I saw the exit, I thought I could come out. I tried, and I did. Maybe the people who were on the other side of the plane weren’t able to.

A friend of Air India captain Sumeet Sabharwal (pictured) has described his death as a ‘huge loss’ for the airline.

Sanjeev Pai, a family friend of captain Sabharwal, said he was a professional pilot who had received no complaints throughout his flying career.

He said:

I am a retired Wing Commander and have worked with Air India staff in every kind of situation. Captain Sumeet was a very good and experienced pilot. His death is a huge loss for Air India.

He was such a calm and peaceful person, an excellent pilot. There were never any complaints about him – he was very professional in both his behavior and in his dealings with people.

The British survivor of the Air India plane crash has been visited by Indian prime minister Narendra Modi.

Video footage shows Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, 40, talking to Mr Modi while lying on his hospital bed.

Air India confirmed Mr Ramesh was the sole survivor of the 242 people on board the London-bound Boeing 787 Dreamliner when it crashed into a medical college shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad airport.

It is one of the deadliest plane crashes in terms of the number of British nationals killed, and the first involving a 787.

There are fears the number of people killed on the ground could rise. Investigations are continuing into the cause of the crash.

An Air India flight from Thailand’s Phuket island to New Delhi was forced to make an emergency landing Friday shortly after takeoff because of an on-board bomb threat, the Thai airports authority said.

The incident comes a day after a London-bound Air India passenger jet crashed in the Indian city of Ahmedabad, killing at least 265 people on board and on the ground.

Airports of Thailand said on its Facebook page for Phuket that the pilot of the Airbus A320 radioed air traffic control that a bomb-threat message had been found on board.

Flight tracking website FlightRadar24 shows the Phuket flight making a U-turn over the Andaman Sea soon after takeoff, then circling multiple times off the island’s coast before landing.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has shared pictures on his X page following his visit to Ahmedabad.

Air India received multiple safety concerns which has raised questions about its maintenance practices, it has emerged.

Sanat Kaul, former Joint Secretary of the Civil Aviation Ministry, said the Directorate General of Civil Aviation had written to the airline on several occasions to highlight safety and inspection issues.

Mr Kaul said:

In this matter, the DGCA- Director General of Civil Aviation is the regulator. It functions under the Ministry, but operates independently. DGCA had written to Air India several times, pointing out multiple issues, mainly regarding safety, things like improper inspections and other lapses. So the question now arises about the maintenance procedures followed by Air India.

There’s also concern about what’s called ‘line maintenance’, the checks conducted by inspectors before every flight. How thorough and effective those checks were is now under scrutiny.

Air India has yet to respond to Mr Kaul’s claims.

The Indian government is considering grounding Air India’s Boeing 787 fleet, Indian broadcaster NDTV reported.

Authorities are investigating one of India’s worst aviation disasters a day after an Air India plane crashed, killing all but one of the 242 passengers and crew onboard, officials said, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the crash site.

The Indian government has launched an investigation into the fatal crash of the London-bound Air India plane that came down in a residential area in the northwestern city of Ahmedabad minutes after takeoff on Thursday.

Officials said most of the bodies were charred beyond recognition.

There was no news early Friday on the cause of the crash.

According to local reports, one of the black boxes of the Air India flight 171 has been recovered while the search for the other one is ongoing.

The former Chief Minister of Gujarat from 2016 through 2021 Vijay Rupani was one of the victims of the Air India crash.

M Chuba Ao, the vice president of the Bharatiya Janata Party, announced his death on X, calling Rupani a ‘calm, dedicated leader… and tireless grassroots worker.

‘My heartfelt condolences to Smt Anjali ji and the family. May his soul rest in peace and may his legacy of service inspire us all.’

Family members who gathered at Ahmedabad’s Civil Hospital took on a somber tone as they worked to identify their loved ones who were killed in the crash.

Every so often, a coffin would emerge from the post-mortem room.

Photos showed family members sobbing at the scene.

Investigators are focusing on whether the Boeing 787 Dreamliner experienced a loss or reduction in engine thrust, and whether that may have played a role in the crash, people familiar with the investigation tell the Wall Street Journal.

But investigations into plane crashes can take months – and often point to a number of factors that lead up to the collision.

‘Investigations will take time, but anything we can do now we are doing,’ Air India CEO Campbell Wilson said Thursday.

Air India CEO Campbell Wilson visited the crash site Friday morning.

He did not answer any questions from reporters, after previously expressing his ‘deep sorrow’ over the tragedy, according to the BBC.

Wilson also said that Air India’s efforts were ‘focused entirely on the needs of our passengers, crew members, their families and loved ones.’

Afia Taju, who lives in the Chicago area, told ABC7 her mother, brother and brother-in-law were among the victims of the Air India crash.

‘It is with unimaginable sorrow and broken hearts that we confirm the tragic loss of three beloved members of our family,’ she said in a statement.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the scene of the crash in Ahmedabad, but did not speak with any reporters on the scene, according to the BBC.

He then headed over Civil Hospital in Ahmedabad, where he was expected to meet with injured people and the families of the victims.

Air India has set up Friends & Relatives Assistance Centres at Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Delhi and Gatwick airports for victims’ families and friends, it announced on social media.

The centers will facilitate family member’s travel to Ahmedabad.

Boeing stock fell 4 percent following the deadly Air India plane crash, Yahoo Finance reports.

Shares of the aerospace company had grown 20 percent this year on the heels of a massive company overhaul after the viral door plug incident on an Alaka Airlines flight.

Shares of Boeing suppliers also fell Thursday, with GE Aerospace and Spirit AeroSystems both losing more than 2 percent of its value.

Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg has canceled his upcoming trip to the Paris Airshow next week, according to Reuters.

GE Aerospace has also postponed an investor day following the tragic Air India crash.

Two months ago Amaan Mansuri took the same AI71 flight that crashed today to return to London, where he works, the BBC reported.

Mansuri says he’s ‘shocked, terrified and in disbelief’ since he heard about the tragedy which is feared to have killed more than 260 people.

He told the outlet: ‘Sitting here, I am still processing what happened. I wonder if I’ll be able to take the flight ever again.’

A US team of experts is travelling to India to help with the crash probe after India asked for assistance.

The National Transportation Safety Board, Federal Aviation Administration, Boeing and General Electric are all sending experts.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy earlier promised that the government would act quickly if it learnt about any safety issues with the Boeing 787, but it is still too early in the investigation.

The British High Commission in India said it is working with local authorities to urgently establish facts about the London-bound plane that crashed soon after taking off from Ahmedabad airport on Thursday.

‘We are aware that a flight from Ahmedabad to London has crashed near Ahmedabad airport,’ it said in an statement on X.

‘We are working with local authorities to urgently establish the facts and provide support. Our thoughts are with all those affected,’ it added.

Thursday’s Air India crash involved a 12-year-old Boeing 787. Although the cause remains unclear, some analysts doubt it will affect global demand for Boeing planes, which have been plagued by safety issues on other types of aircraft.

‘It’s a terrible tragedy, but given what little we know now… I don’t think it’s likely to have a very big impact on Boeing,’ said Richard Aboulafia, a longtime aerospace analyst and managing director at AeroDynamic Advisory.

He said there are currently around 1,200 of the 787 Dreamliner aircraft worldwide, and this was the first deadly crash in 16 years of operation.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy promised that the government would act quickly if it learns about any safety issues with the Boeing 787, but it’s still too early in the investigation.

A U.S. team is departing for India to help with the probe because India asked for assistance. The National Transportation Safety Board, Federal Aviation Administration, Boeing and General Electric are all sending experts.

In January, Trump’s pick for transportation secretary quickly emerged as a public face of the government’s response to the Washington, DC, plane crash that killed 67.

David Lammy says his thoughts are with those impacted by the ‘tragic plane crash’ in India today.

Speaking at Chatham House in London this evening, the UK’s foreign secretary says he’s been in touch with Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, his counterpart in New Delhi, to offer his condolences.

‘The Foreign Office have also stood up a crisis team to support British nationals and their families,’ he added.

Describing the devastating scene at the crash site, a police official told the BBC it took him ‘hours to make sense of the chaos’.

‘And it’s not just those on board,’ the police official said.

‘The building the plane crashed on, the hospital, was full of medical students. Many have died from our understanding.’

He added that all the bodies and their remains have been removed.

A health official takes a DNA sample from a family member of one of the victims who died when the Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner plane crashed

Health officials wait to take DNA samples from family members of the victims who died when an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner plane bound for London’s Gatwick Airport, crashed during take-off from Ahmedabad.

Relatives of the victims have been asked to give DNA samples to help identify the dead.

Air India has announced that they have a dedicated passenger hotline for more information on the matter, especially for bereaved family members.

In a post to X, they said: ‘Air India has also set up a dedicated passenger hotline number 1800 5691 444 to provide more information.

‘Those calling from outside India can call on +91 8062779200.

‘Regular updates will continue on Air India’s X handle (https://x.com/airindia) and on http://airindia.com as further information comes to hand.’

As it approcahes 1:30am in India, relatives and officers are seen waiting outside the post-mortem room at the Civil Hospital in Ahmedabad.

Families and friends of those who’ve lost their lives in the crash wait to claim their bodies, but identification has become a difficult task.

Authorities are trying to use DNA sampling, but the process is taking time.

At least three outbound Air India flights from Ahmedabad were cancelled on Thursday evening and passengers accommodated on alternate flights after an Air India plane crashed in the city.

In bound special flights from Delhi and Mumbai to Ahmedabad were also cancelled.

Former This Morning editor Martin Frizell has paid tribute to Fiongal Greenlaw, who is thought to have been on board the fatal Air India flight which crashed earlier today.

Greenlaw, 39, and his husband Jamie Meek, 45, are believed to have been on board the doomed flight. They are said to have been on holiday in India.

The couple co-founded a wellness brand together, which had been promoted on This Morning.

Frizell, 66, who had been the editor of the ITV show until he stepped down earlier this year, paid tribute to Greenlaw on Instagram this afternoon.

He included a photo of Fiongal alongside hosts Ben Shepherd and Cat Deeley in the studio.

Martin wrote in the caption that he had a ‘vibrancy’ and ‘sheer enthusiasm’ when he had featured as a guest on the show back in January.

He said: ‘So so sad to hear that Fiongal Greenlaw Meek and his partner are reported to be among the passengers and crew killed today on board the Air India flight bound for Gatwick.

‘I remember his visit to the studio in January, he was passionate about auras and although I’m a sceptical sort his vibrancy and sheer enthusiasm won folk over.

‘And I know for a fact that he hoped to use his appearance on This Morning to build his Wellness brand, he had a great future ahead of him.

‘Thoughts are with his family and friends and those of his partner Jamie’.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to arrive in Ahmedabad at 8:30pm on Friday, top sources told CNN-News18.

According to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, as per local reports, rescue operations have now been completed at the Air India flight crash site in Ahmedabad.

Air India has confirmed that only one person on board Flight 171 survived today’s crash in Ahmedabad.

It says 229 passengers and 12 crew died, adding that the sole survivor is being treated in hospital.

‘The survivor is a British national of Indian origin. Air India offers its deepest condolences to the families of the deceased. Our efforts now are focused entirely on the needs of all those affected, their families and loved ones.’

Labour’s Warinder Juss MP has a large Indian community in his Wolverhampton West constituency.

He tells Politics Hub With Sophy Ridge ‘everybody is still in shock’ about today’s plane crash and it’s ‘very difficult to comprehend exactly what happened’.

‘We need to find out what caused this accident,’ he says, but for now people are simply in ‘extreme distress’.

A formal investigation has been opened by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau into the plane crash.

The investigation is in line with international protocols set by the International Civil Aviation Organisation, India’s civil aviation minister said on X.

The government will also have a committee of experts from multiple disciplines to investigate the case.

‘The committee will work to strengthen aviation safety and prevent such incidents in future,’ Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu said.

At the time the plane had been due to arrive Thursday, it was not listed on the arrivals board in the South Terminal at Gatwick Airport and it appeared no one was waiting for it.

The news media was kept out of the terminal and extra staff was deployed.

A center for family members who were seeking more information was also set up but it wasn’t clear where it was located or if anyone had shown up there.

A senior police officer in Ahmedabad spoke to the media earlier about the only known survivor’s miraculous escape.

‘He was near the emergency exit and managed to escape by jumping out the emergency door,’ said Vidhi Chaudhary.

The police confirmed he is the only known survivor so far.

But Chaudhary added: ‘Chances are that there might be more survivors among the injured who are being treated in the hospital.’

Passengers flying in and out of London’s Gatwick airport on Thursday voiced fears and anxiety about their safety after the Air India crash that claimed more than 200 lives.

‘It’s absolutely terrible. There were so many people inside’ the aeroplane, said Olivia Paulin, 27, a researcher who had just checked in for a short flight to Scotland.

‘You always think it happens to other people only.’

Gatwick opened a support centre for any family and friends gathering at the airport in search of news of the flight, which had been due to arrive at 6:25pm on Thursday.

A British man who survived the Air India plane crash called his dad from the runway to tell him that he had survived.

Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a British citizen, is believed to be the sole survivor. He escaped through an emergency exit from seat 11A.

Nayan, his brother, told Sky News that their father was on the phone with Vishwash while he was still on the runway.

‘My dad called him,’ Nayan said. ‘And Vishwash said: “Oh we’re going to take off soon”.’

Two minutes later, Vishwash called his dad again – this time to say the plane had crashed and that he had survived.

‘He video called my dad as he crashed and said: “Oh the plane’s crashed. I don’t know where my brother is. I don’t see any other passengers. I don’t know how I’m alive – how I exited the plane”,’ Nayan added.

Speaking to news agency PTI, police officials have state that at least 265 bodies have been brought to civil hospital in Ahmedabad after the Air India plane crash.

An Air India flight carrying 242 passengers crashed in Ahmedabad shortly after taking off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport.

Indian Home Affairs Minister Amit Shah has met people injured in the crash – including the man who seems to be the only survivor from the plane itself, British man Vishwashkumar Ramesh.

Footage from news agencies showed Shah meeting Ramesh in his hospital bed.

Turkey’s Foreign Ministry expressed condolences to India over the deadly Ahmedabad plane crash, saying: ‘We are deeply saddened by the plane crash that occurred today in Ahmedabad, India.

‘We extend our condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in this tragic accident and to the people of India.’

According to local reports, one of the black boxes of the Air India flight 171 has been recovered.

As per sources via the Hindustan Times, the black box in the rear of the plane has been located by aviation officials.

The search for the second black box, in aircraft’s front section, continues.

As per Sky News, David Lammy has tonight chaired a COBRA meeting concerning the plane crash in India.

COBRA meetings are a gathering of senior government officials and other key figures to discuss and respond to national emergencies.

Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu announced a formal investigation into the Air India Flight AI171 crash in Ahmedabad.

The probe will be led by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) and conducted in accordance with international protocols established by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

‘Following the tragic incident in Ahmedabad, a formal investigation has been initiated by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, in line with international protocols set by ICAO,’ the minister said in an official statement.

Kelly Ortberg said in a statement: ‘Our deepest condolences go out to the loved ones of the passengers and crew on board Air India Flight 171, as well as everyone affected in Ahmedabad.

‘Ihave spoken with Air India Chairman N. Chandrasekaran to offer our full support, and a Boeing team stands ready to support the investigation led by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau.’

Boeing said it will defer to India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) to provide information about Air India Flight 171.

‘There will be British and Indian families across the land who are absolutely impacted by this,’ he said. ‘Our thoughts, first and foremost, are with them.’

Starmer confirms that an investigation team has been dispatched to India to help local authorities.

Asked to comment on the British survivor of the crash, the PM said: ‘We’re establishing the facts and the investigation is ongoing. We’re in constant contact with the Indian authorities.’

The family of Nirali Sureshkumar Patel said she was among the 240 passengers.

Her dental clinic in Mississauga, Ontario, referred Canadian Press to the husband, who said that he was in the process of booking travel to India for himself and their baby.

‘That was my wife,’ he said. ‘I am not in a state to speak right now.’

He declined to provide his full name.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said he was ‘devastated’ to learn of the crash and was receiving regular updates on the situation, confirming one Canadian was on the flight.

A member of the British Parliament said she’s heard that a handful of her constituents were aboard the flight – and raised her recent concerns about Air India’s safety.

Shivani Raja, a Conservative member from Leicester in central England, told the BBC her community has a high number of people from the state of Gujurat and they were ‘horrified and devastated waking up to such tragic news.’

Raja said she and relatives have complained recently about delays on the popular flight route.

Only a month ago, a family member had a flight delayed for more than a day because of an engine malfunction. Raja said she had experienced her own delays due to malfunctions on the same flight.

She said she planned to write to Indian authorities, the U.K. Civil Aviation Authority and Air India regarding its safety.

‘I’m not trying to add to any speculation here,’ she said. ‘There has to be a reason why this plane has crashed right? And I’m determined to find out the cause of that.’

Ramesh Viswashkumar, the only known survivor out of the 242 people onboard an Air India plane, had been sitting near an emergency exit of the London-bound flight and managed to jump out, police said.

Speaking from his hospital bed, the 40-year-old told Indian media that he was a British national and was travelling to Britain with his brother after visiting family in India.

‘When I got up, there were bodies all around me. I was scared. I stood up and ran. There were pieces of the plane all around me. Someone grabbed hold of me and put me in an ambulance and brought me to the hospital,’ Viswashkumar told the Hindustan Times.

‘He was near the emergency exit and managed to escape by jumping out the emergency door,’ said Vidhi Chaudhary, a senior police officer in Ahmedabad, speaking about Viswashkumar.

Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres, said: ‘I mentioned that the Secretary-General had said that he was deeply saddened by the news of this crash…

‘We believe that there have been something in the neighbourhood of more than 200 deaths because of this.

‘So, our hearts go out to the people of India and to the government of India as they seek to deal with this tragedy.’

Images are emerging showing people taking part in prayer ceremonies in the cities of Patna and Siliguri.

They are lighting candles for the victims of today’s crash in Ahmedabad.

After taking the carrier over from the government in 2022, the Tata Group unveiled ambitious plans to reverse years of underinvestment in an ageing and outdated fleet and create a ‘world class airline’, as CEO Campbell Wilson has repeatedly put it, on a par with rivals like Emirates.

‘Newer aircraft and better maintenance should be the hallmark for Air India to survive. Proper maintenance is what they should be looking into, because Air India has had a chequered past,’ said Vibhuti Deora, a former legal expert at India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau.

Only a few days ago, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi told an international gathering of hundreds of airline executives in New Delhi that the country’s aviation industry stood at a crucial point of takeoff.

The plane that crashed on Thursday was 11 years old, according to Flightradar24.

Rival Indian airlines like IndiGo operate newer planes.

Air India, which is part-owned by Singapore Airlines, has placed orders for 570 new jets in recent years and is in talks for dozens more.

It has even aggressively expanded its international flight network in the face of the fury of its passengers, who often take to social media to show soiled seats, broken arm rests, non-operational entertainment systems and dirty cabin areas.

Before it can make any further progress on these problems, however, it faces the difficult task of investigating one of India’s worst aviation disasters ever.

‘This is a difficult day for all of us at Air India,’ CEO Wilson said in a video message.

‘Investigations will take time.’

Vidhi Chaudhary, a top state police officer in Ahmedabad city, said the dead include medical students who were in a college hostel when the plane hit the building.

‘Most of the bodies have been charred beyond recognition,’ she said.

Video of the crash showed a large fireball, and the plane would have been loaded with fuel for the long flight to London.

‘The plane crash was terrible. I’ve already told them, anything we can do, it’s a big country, a strong country, they’ll handle it I’m sure but I let them kow that anythign we can do, we will be over there immediately,’ he said.

‘It was a horrific crash, looks like most are gone, actually maybe have a couple survivors, but that was a horrible crash, nobody has any idea what it might be.

‘I gave them a couple oof pointers, I said… we saw the plane like it was flying pretty well, it looked like there was an explosion, and just maybe looks like the engine lost power, but boy that is a terrible crash, it’s one of the worst in aviation history’.

Union home minister Amit Shah said, as quoted by ANI: ‘The plane carried almost 1,25,000 litres of fuel, and due to the high temperature, there was no chance of saving anyone.’

According to local reports, the Boeing aircraft had undergone maintenance at Air India Engineering Services in March.

Air India had signed a contrat with Turkish Technic in 2022 for technical support, and the agreement is reportedly still active.

As per the BBC, Akeel Nanabawa, his wife Hannaa Vorajee and their daughter, who lived in Gloucester, were on board the flight.

A statement from the Gloucester Muslim Society, which names the three victims, says: ‘Today, we are profoundly heartbroken by the devastating loss of life in the catastrophic crash of Flight AI171, traveling from Ahmedabad to London’.

Ahmedabad hospital has received 186 bodies as well as the lone survivor of the Air India crash, a docto has revealed

Union Home Minister Amit Shah said the death toll in the Ahmedabad plane crash would be announced officially only after DNA analysis and identification by kin.

He also said he has met with the lone survivor of the devastating crash and stated that the entire nation stands in solidarity with the families of those who lost their lives.

Aviation experts have said the position of the plane’s wing flaps may have played a role in the crash.

Footage of the crash shows the plane descending, followed by a large explosion when it smashed into a building.

‘When I’m looking at this, the undercarriage is still down but the flaps have been retracted,’ aviation analyst Geoffrey Thomas told the BBC.

He said it was very unusual for the aircraft’s flaps to remain in line with the wing so soon after take-off.

‘The undercarriage is normally retracted within 10-15 seconds, and the flaps are then retracted over a period of 10-15 minutes,’ he explained.

Aviation safety consultant John M Cox agreed that images of the flight suggested this was one area of inquiry.

‘The image shows the airplane with the nose rising and it continuing to sink,’ he said. ‘That says that the airplane is not making enough lift.

‘It’s hard to tell but from looking at the aircraft from behind – it doesn’t look like that the trailing edge flaps are in the position I would have expected them to be,’ he added.

‘But I’m very cautious that the image quality is not good enough to make that a conclusion. It’s just an area where I know that they’re going to look.’

The MP for Leicester East has said she understands ‘a handful of Leicester residents’ were onboard the Ahmedabad to London flight that crashed.

Shivani Raja told BBC News that her community, which has a high population of British-Gujaratis, were ‘all really horrified and devastated waking up to such tragic news’.

So far my understanding is that there are a handful of Leicester residents who were on board that flight but I am still awaiting for official reports on that.

The Conservative MP said she, her family and her constituents have experienced delays on the ‘very popular flight route’ and that she will be writing to the Indian authorities, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and Air India regarding its safety.

A month ago one of her family members had their flight ‘delayed for over 24 hours due to an engine malfunction, she added.

These are the first pictures and names of the pilots and cabin crew of the ill-fated Air India plane that crashed just moments after take-off.

Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, who had 8,200 hours of experience, was today named as the pilot of the doomed Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

First Officer Clive Kunder, from Mumbai, was also onboard. He had logged 1,100 of flying hours and completed his training at the Florida-based Paris Air Flight School, according to local media.

Cabin crew members Nganthoi Sharma Kongbrailatpam and Lamnunthem Singson were also revealed to have been on the Gatwick-bound Air India Flight 171.

Senior members Shradha Dhavan and Aparna Mahadik, along with Saineeta Chakravarti, Deepak Pathak, Maithili Patil, Irfan Shaikh, Roshni Songhare Rajendra, and Manisha Thapa were also named among the crew.

Read more here:

Watch ‘s explainer video here:

According to Reuters news agency, the number of people killed in the plane crash has risen to more than 290, according to a police officer.

There were 242 people on board the flight.

Downing Street has warned the public to prepare for a significant loss of British lives.

Asked whether the public should prepare for a significant loss of life, a No10 spokesman said: ‘Yes.’

‘As the PM said this morning, the scenes emerging of the London-bound plane carrying many British nationals crashing in the Indian city at Ahmedabad are devastating.

‘Clearly this is a deeply distressing time for families. The situation is still unfolding.’

The spokesman would not confirm reports that a British national had survived the crash.

Gujarat’s former chief minister, Vijay Rupani, has been killed in the plane crash, India’s civil aviation minister has told reporters.

Rupani, 68, served as the chief minister of the western Indian state in 2016-21.

He was a member of the governing BJP party.

Former British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he and his wife Askhata Murty are ‘deeply shocked and distressed’ by the news of the crash.

Sunak, who is of Indian descent, became the UK’s first Hindu prime minister in 2022 and remained premier until he lost last year’s general election. Murty is Indian.

“There is a unique bond between our two nati’ns and our thoughts and prayers go out to the British and Indian families who have lost loved ones today,’ Sunak said on X.

Air India says it is organising two relief flights to Ahmedabad for families of the passengers involved in the plane crash and airline staff.

The airline is sending return flights from Delhi and Mumbai that will arrive at 23:00 local time (18:00 BST) and depart shortly after 01:00 local time on Friday (20:00 BST on Thursday) .

Investigators with the US National Transportation Safety Board will travel to assist Indian officials probing the Air India crash, the agency announced.

‘The NTSB will be leading a team of US investigators travelling to India to assist… with (the) investigation into the crash of an Air India Boeing 787 in Ahmedabad, India,’ the agency said on X.

It added that under international protocols, ‘all information on the investigation will be provided by the Government of India.’

A woman who was due to fly back to the UK on doomed Air India flight 171 has said she missed the departure by 10 minutes.

‘I am completely devastated after hearing about the loss [of lives],’ she told the Republic news outlet.

My body is literally shivering. I am not able to talk.’

UK officials are being deployed to India to support the investigation into the Ahmedabad plane crash.

The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) says it has ‘formally offered its assistance’ to the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau in India

We are deploying a multidisciplinary investigation team to India to support the Indian-led investigation. Our thoughts are with all those affected by this tragic accident.

Campbell Wilson, the boss of Air India, has expressed his ‘deep sorrow’ following the plane crash in Ahmedabad.

Police said they had found a lone survivor who had been sitting in seat 11A when Flight 171 crashed shortly after takeoff in India this morning.

Astonishing footage showed the man walking away from the scene with some visible injuries to his face.

Read the full story here:

British celebrity wellness guru Jamie Meek and his husband posted a haunting video of themselves at the airport waiting to board the doomed Gatwick-bound Air India flight that crashed moments after it took off.

They are feared to be among the 242 vivctims who perished when the flight crashed just after takeoff from Ahmedabad bound for Gatwick.

Mr Meek, 45, and husband Fiongal Greenlaw, 39, who live in London, run a wellness and healthy lifestyle company called the Wellness Foundry, and had been in India on holiday.

They had appeared on ITV’s This Morning to promote their wellness brand.

In a chilling final social media video posted from Ahmedabad airport as they waited to board their doomed flight the couple were dressed in flowery shirts looking happy at the end of their break.

Read more here:

Tata Sons, which owns Air India, will offer around £86,000 to the families of each person who died in the Ahmedabad plane crash, the company said.

Two passengers on Air India flight 171 have been found, according to police.

One was at the crash site and another was receiving treatment in hospital, according to reports.

Pope Leo XIV expressed his ‘heartfelt condolences’ Thursday to those who have lost loved ones in an air crash in India and prayers for those recovering the bodies of victims.

‘Deeply saddened by the tragedy involving an Air India aircraft near Ahmedabad, his Holiness Pope Leo XIV sends his heartfelt condolences to the families and friends of those who have lost their lives,’ the Vatican’s Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin said in a telegram.

Leo also sent his ‘assurance of prayers for all involved in the recovery efforts’, Parolin said.

Reuters have reported brief remarks from state health secretary Dhananjay Dwivedi.

He has said relatives have been asked to give DNA samples to identify the dead.

The bodies that have been recovered include those on the plane and those in the area at the time of impact.

Ahmedabad’s police chief has told the BBC that 204 bodies have been recovered from the crash site.

It’s not known if all 204 were on the plane, or if some were on the ground when the plane crashed.

More than 200 people have died in the Air India plane crash, Kanan Desai, a top city police officer, told Reuters.

The plane crashed into a doctor’s college residential quarters in Ahmedabad, where approximately 200 people are said to have been living.

Police earlier told reporters that all 242 people on board the plane had died, with more casualities expected on the ground.

India’s Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) has said that around 50 to 60 medical students after the Air India flight crashed into a doctors’ hostel.

The association says five students are missing, and at least two are in the intensive care unit.

King Charles has penned a message expressing his shock following the plane crash.

Boeing said in a statement:

We are in contact with Air India regarding Flight 171 and stand ready to support them.

Our thoughts are with the passengers, crew, first responders and all affected.

An Air India flight from Gatwick Airport to Goa in India due to take off at 8.30pm on Thursday has been cancelled.

This comes amid the crash of a London-bound Air India flight with 242 passengers on board this morning.

No reason has been provided by Air India yet for the cancellation of the later flight from Gatwick.

The decision means that no Air India flights will arrive or depart from London Gatwick on Thursday.

Media gathers gather outside the North terminal following the crash

Gatwick said a reception centre was being set up for relatives of passengers on board the doomed Air India flight.

In a statement posted on social media, it said:

We can confirm flight AI171 that was involved in an accident on departure from Ahmedabad Airport today (12 June) was due to land at London Gatwick at 18:25 BST.

London Gatwick is liaising closely with Air India and a reception centre for relatives of those on board is being set up where information and support will be provided.

British nationals who require consular assistance or have concerns about friends or family should call 020 7008 5000.

Air India have set up a dedicated passenger hotline number 1800 5691 444 to provide more information. Our thoughts are with family and friends of those on board.

An eyewitness has told how there were ‘many bodies lying on the ground’ in the aftermath of the crash.

The man, who was not named, told reporters: ‘I was sitting at home, there was a loud noise, it felt like an earthquake.

‘I came out and saw smoke, I didn’t realise it was a plane crash, then I came here and I found out and I saw the crashed plane – there were many bodies lying on the ground.’

He wore a surgical mask as he spoke to the BBC at the site, with smoke seen billowing around him.

Ahmedabad police chief has said it appears no-one has survived the crash.

‘It appears there are no survivors in the plane crash,’ Commissioner G.S. Malik told reporters.

He added that with the plane crashing in a residential area with offices, ‘some locals would have also died.’

‘Exact figures on casualties are being ascertained,’ he said.

New photographs show the wreckage of Air India flight 171 after it crashed into a doctors’ hostel in Meghani shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad airport.

Plane parts are among the debris as rescuers scramble to find the 242 people on board the plane with many said to be killed.

Footage has emerged of the moment passengers at Ahmedabad airport saw Air India flight 171 crash just before they themselves were about to board flights.

Video posted by Asian News International shows travellers walking to their gates before they catch sight of smoke billowing near the airport.

Another eyewitness, who was at the airport at the time of the crash, told the Times of India: ‘As I was going to board an Indigo flight, I saw thick smoke coming out in the distance.

‘Soon after boarding the aircraft, an announcement for a flight delay was made. Later, we got to know through the media that a flight had crashed.’

India’s aviation ministry has confirmed flights will resume from Ahmedabad airport.

All planes had been grounded and operations temporarily suspended in the aftermath of the Air India 171 crash.

Ahmedabad airport has set up an assistance area for families of those who were travelling to London Gatwick.

More than 100 bodies were brought to a hospital in India’s Ahmedabad after the Air India plane crash, local police have said.

Local media is reporting that at least 91 people have died in the crash after their bodies were brought into hospitals across Gujarat state.

Authorities are yet to confirm the exact number of fatalities but the country’s health minister has said there are ‘many’ that have been killed.

Preliminary flight tracking data from the Boeing 787-8 reveals a concerning takeoff pattern in the moments before the aircraft crashed, according to an aviation expert.

Data logs appear to show that the jet stayed on the ground or taxiing slowly for more than four minutes after it first appeared on public trackers.

It increased sharply in speed to 174 knots at 08.08 local time, with an altitude of 625 feet – far below standard for a commercial aircraft several minutes into departure.

No further altitude gains were recorded.

Lt Col John R Davidson, a former US Air Force pilot commented on the data: ‘From the data available, AIC171 appears to have reached takeoff speed – but not altitude.

‘To be at 625 feet at over 170 knots more than four minutes after rolling out is highly irregular. This suggests either a very late rotation or a stall shortly after takeoff.

‘There are a number of possible scenarios: thrust or engine performance issues, excessive aircraft weight, poor trim or flap configuration, or a more critical failure that affected the aircraft’s ability to climb. Weather, windshear or even bird strike can’t be ruled out either at this early stage.

‘The low-altitude, high-speed reading at the final moment might indicate a steep nose-down trajectory or a stall event immediately following takeoff.

‘This is consistent with accidents like Spanair Flight 5022 and Flydubai Flight 981, where mechanical or environmental factors combined with compromised lift performance led to loss of control during or just after liftoff.’

But he cautioned: ‘Flight data alone isn’t enough to determine fault — but it tells us this aircraft never truly made it airborne in a meaningful way. Whatever happened, it happened fast, and right at the most critical phase of flight.’

This image shows the back of the Air India plane as it became embedded in a building following the crash in Ahmedabad.

Released by the Central Industrial Security Force, the plane’s tail can be seen after it landed into a doctors’ hostel which has also been described as a medical college in the Meghani area.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has stood up a crisis team in India and the UK, David Lammy has said.

The Foreign Secretary told the Commons:

My thoughts and I’m sure those of the entire House are with those who’ve been affected by the tragic plane crash in India this morning.

We know that British nationals were on board and I can confirm that the FCDO is working urgently with local authorities to support British nationals and their families, and has stood up a crisis team in both Delhi and in London.

A woman has told Indian media that her son jumped from a second-floor window when the plane crashed into his hostel – and miraculously survived.

The building is reported to have been full of doctors from a nearby medical centre when Air India flight 171 smashed into it.

‘My son had gone to the hostel during lunch break, and the plane crashed there. My son is safe, and I have spoken to him. He jumped from the second floor, so he suffered some injuries,’ the woman told India’s Ani news agency.

‘The building on which it has crashed is a doctors’ hostel… we have cleared almost 70% to 80% of the area and will clear the rest soon,’ a senior police officer told reporters at the scene.

Local media reports that the building was full of doctors from a nearby medical centre eating their lunch at the time of the crash.

Pictures show food still on the canteen tables in the aftermath.

Today we have been reporting live updates from the Air India plane crash as flight 171 plummeted to the ground shortly after it departed Ahmedabad on its way to London Gatwick.

Air India confirmed 242 people were on board the Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft including 53 British nationals.

Police initially said it appeared no-one survived the crash but one British passenger miraculously managed to walk away after he jumped from his seat on the doomed plane.

The crash is one of the worst aviation disasters in India’s history and emergency services are still at the scene.

Here’s what you need to know this afternoon:

• Air India flight 171 crashed into a medical college in Meghani shortly after taking off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at 1.17pm local time.
• The airline confirmed the plane was carrying 230 passengers, two pilots and 10 crew members and added 53 of those on board are British nationals.
• British man Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, 40, is believed to be the sole survivor of the crash after making an incredible escape
• Astonishing footage showed the passenger with visible injuries hobbling away from the scene of the crash. He reportedly sustained injuries to his chest, eyes and feet
• Among the victims is celebrity wellness guru Jamie Ray Meek and his husband Fin who were returning from India following a visit to a retreat
• Video appears to show the plane struggling to achieve lift before crashing to the ground with the pilot reportedly issuing a Mayday call shortly after taking off
• According to preliminary information, the plane reached approximately 825 feet when it suddenly descended
• Tata Sons, which owns Air India, said it will offer around £86,000 to the families of each person who died in the crash
• Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the tragedy is ‘heartbreaking beyond words’ while King Charles said he was ‘desperately shocked’

Read more here:

British survivor seen WALKING AWAY from Air India crash jet

Passenger's chilling video 'shows nothing working' on doomed Air India flight

Terrifying new footage shows Air India jet take off then fall from the sky

Indian prime minister Narendra Modi expressed shock and sadness over the India Airlines crash in a statement on X.

*warning – scenes may be distressing*

We can now show yoiu footage from the rescue operation in Ahmedabad following the plane crash of flight 171.

An eyewitness who lives close to the crash scene has told Indian media how he saw ‘dead bodies and debris scattered all over’ following the plane crash.

The man, who was interviewed just yards from the scene where the plane plummeted into a medical college, said he came to investigate after he heard a ‘massive sound’ at home.

He told the Press Trust of India news agency:

When we went out to see what had happened, there was a layer of thick smoke in the air. When we came here, dead bodies and debris from the crashed aircraft were scattered all over.

At least 30 bodies have been recovered from a building from a building at the site of a plane crash in India’s western city of Ahmedabad, rescue personnel at the site said.

More people were trapped inside, the rescue workers said.

An experienced pilot was flying Air India flight 171 when it crashed, it has emerged.

Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, a Line Training Captain, had 8,200 hours of flying experience.

First Officer Clive Kundar, who was assisting the captain, had 1,100 hours of flight experience.

The two men were among 12 crewmembers on board at the time of the crash.

Air India has changed its profile picture to a black circle across its social media platforms following the crash this morning.

The airline has temporarily switched from its usual red and white logo in an apparent mark of respect for passengers on board flight 171.

New photographs show crowds starting to build at the crash scene in Ahmedabad as rescuers scramble to find passengers on the crashed Air India flight.

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft crashed into a medical colleage before bursting into flames in the Meghani area of the city.

India’s health minister has confirmed ‘many people’ have been killed in the plane crash in the first official confirmation of fatalities.

Jagat Prakash Nadda said he wanted to provide ‘all possible help’ to families affected by the tragedy which is reported to the worst aviation disaster in the nation’s history.

In a statement on X, he said:

The news of many people getting killed in a plane crash in Ahmedabad, Gujarat is extremely sad. I appeal to all BJP workers to get involved in relief and rescue work and provide all possible help to the affected families. I pray to God to give strength to the bereaved families to bear the unbearable pain and to provide speedy recovery to the injured.

The King is being kept updated on the developing situation after a Gatwick-bound Air India plane crashed, Buckingham Palace said.

A former pilot has claimed multiple bird hits may have caused Air India flight 171 to crash with both engines losing power.

Reacting to the crash near Ahmedabad airport, captain Saurabh Bhatnagar, an ex-pilot, told NDTV:

It looks, prima facie, like a case of multiple bird hits wherein both the engines have lost power. The take-off was perfect and just, I believe, short of taking the gear up, the aircraft started descending, which can happen only in case the engine loses power or the aircraft stops developing lift. Obviously, the investigation will reveal the exact reason.

Authorities are yet to determine the official cause of the crash.

Bhupendra Patel, Gujurat’s chief minister, has told how a ‘war footing’ has been set up to help Air India passengers who will receive priority treatment at the state’s hospitals.

In a statement on X, Mr Patel wrote:

I am deeply saddened by the accident of the Air India passenger plane crash in Ahmedabad. I have instructed the officials to take immediate rescue and relief operations in the accident and to make arrangements for immediate treatment of the injured passengers on a war footing. I have also instructed to arrange a green corridor to take the injured passengers for treatment and to ensure all the treatment arrangements in the hospital on priority.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is understood to have sent his top officials to Ahmedabad to help with the rescue operation.

It is not yet known if there are any survivors following the crash.

Air traffic control at Ahmedabad airport said the aircraft departed at 1.39pm local time (9.09am BST).

Moments later, the passenger jet sent out a ‘mayday’ call, signalling an emergency.

No response followed the signal, according to officials.

New photographs show Indian firefighters working at the scene of the plane crash after buildings were damaged in the Meghani area of Ahmedabad.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has shared a statement on the Air India plane crash.

The scenes emerging of a London-bound plane carrying many British nationals crashing in the Indian city of Ahmedabad are devastating.

The PM added that he is being kept up to date with the situation.

Air India has released more information regarding the nationalities of passengers.

The airline said 169 passengers are Indian nationals, 53 are British, one is Canadian and seven are Portuguese.

The Reuters news agency reported that 217 adults and 11 children were on board the flight.

The flight was carrying a total of 242 people onboard the Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft.

A spokesperson for Ahmedabad Airport confirmed the plane crashed ‘shortly after takeoff, outside the airport.’

In a statement it added: ‘As a result, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, Ahmedabad, is currently not operational. All flight operations are temporarily suspended until further notice.

‘Passengers are advised to check with their respective airlines for the latest updates before proceeding to the airport.

‘We request your cooperation and patience as authorities manage this evolving situation. Further updates will be provided as soon as available.’

Britain is working with Indian authorities to urgently establish the facts around the Air India plane crash and to provide support to those involved, the foreign office said in a statement.

Meanwhile, Commons Leader Lucy Powell said the UK Government will provide ‘all the support that it can’ to those on the flight.

Air India’s Chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran shared a heartfelt statement that read: ‘With profound sorrow I confirm that Air India Flight 171 operating Ahmedabad London Gatwick was involved in a tragic accident today.

‘Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with the families and loved ones of all those affected by this devastating event. At this moment, our primary focus is on supporting all the affected people and their families.

‘We are doing everything in our power to assist the emergency response teams at the site and to provide all necessary support and care to those impacted.’

Fifty-three British nationals were on board an Air India flight bound for Gatwick airport which crashed after take-off in Ahmedabad, Air India said.

The flight manifest included 169 Indians, 53 Britons, one Canadian and seven Portuguese nationals, according to officials.

The flight was due to land at London Gatwick at 18.25 tonight, the airport confirmed in a statement.

Air India flight AI 171, a Boeing 787-8, crashed into a residential area called Meghani Nagar five minutes after taking off.

The 787 Dreamliner is a widebody, twin-engine plane. This is the first crash ever of a Boeing 787 aircraft, according to the Aviation Safety Network database.

The aircraft was introduced in 2009 and more than 1,000 have been delivered to dozens of airlines, according to the flightradar24 website.

Although officials are yet to release a statement on the crash.

Experts have suggested the amount of fuel used on an international route has worsened the fire following the crash impact, making it a more complicated rescue operation, the Times of India is reporting.

The flight crashed just minutes after taking off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad this afternoon.

The Times of India is reporting 242 people were on board the Boeing 787 Dreamliner plane including 230 passengers, two pilots and 10 cabin crew members.

Multiple fire engines and ambulances have been dispatched to the crash scene in the Meghani area of Ahmedabad.

According to the newspaper, India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) will open a formal investigation along with a possible technical team from Boeing.

Flight tracker website Flightradar24 shared a screenshot showing the last signal from FlightAI171 seconds after the plane took off.

The flight reportedly reached an altitude of just 625 feet before it began to descend, according to the flight tracking service.

Shocking images shared to social media showed a huge trail of smoke rising from the crash site near the international airport this morning.

Sections of the plane’s fuselage and tail were also seen protruding from a building.

Aviation expert Julian Bray told : ‘It’s a Boeing Dreamliner that has gone down – not certain whether they’ve managed to get anybody off the plane.

‘If it has indeed crash landed and they can deploy the chutes out then they should be able to get people off in 90 seconds.

‘I am aware there are fire appliances in attendance – this is a major incident.

‘It is very disappointing that it is a Dreamliner as it is a state-of-the-art Boeing.

‘We cannot rule out security issues,’ he said, before advising caution that he can only speculate at this time.

Here is ‘s breaking news story on the Air India crash

by David Averre

An Air India flight bound for London Gatwick carrying 242 passengers and crew has crashed shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad Airport in the northwestern Indian state of Gujarat.

Air India flight 171, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, careened back to earth in the Meghani area of the city just minutes after leaving the runway.

Shocking images shared to social media showed a huge trail of smoke emanating from the crash site near the international airport this morning.

Read more here:

Hello and welcome to ‘s live coverage as an Air India flight heading to London crashes in Ahmedabad.

Early reports state 242 people were on board the plane which was heading to London Gatwick.

Stick with us as we bring you live updates on this breaking story.