A London-bound passenger plane crashes shortly after takeoff in the city of Ahmedabad, India, with 242 passengers on board.
Footage of the deadly crash showed the Air India Boeing 787-8 flying low above a residential area before crashing and turning into a ball of flames.
According to reports from Sky News and Flightradar24, a flight tracking website, the plane lost communication. The location of the collision — the heavily populated residential neighbourhood of Meghani Nagar located outside Ahmedabad Airport in Gujarat — was identified by tall smoke columns. First responders rushed to the scene in a matter of seconds.
Indian Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu responded swiftly, saying, “I am personally monitoring the situation and have directed all aviation and emergency response agencies to take swift and coordinated action. Rescue teams have been mobilized. All efforts are being made to ensure medical aid and relief support are being rushed to the site. My thoughts and prayers are with all those on board and their families.”
According to the initial police report about the tragedy, there have been no survivors. However, as rescue teams continued their extensive search, Ahmedabad police commissioner, G.S. Malik said there could be survivors.
Among those who escaped death is 40-year-old Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a British national.
Unverified videos show Ramesh, who was believed to be in seat 11a, talking to the locals.
He was reported saying, “Thirty seconds after take-off, there was a loud noise and then the plane crashed. It all happened so quickly.”
