Inside doomed Boeing plane that crashed into horror fireball on way to UK
A plane bound for London's Gatwick Airport has crashed into a residential area of Ahmedabad, western India, shortly after sending a final 'Mayday' message
Horrifying footage shows the smouldering wreckage of a plane bound for London's Gatwick Airport, which exploded into a fireball visible for miles around.
Air India Flight AI171 lost signal and crashed into a residential area of Ahmedabad, western India, just five minutes after takeoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport.
In a new statement confirming who was onboard, Air India said: "The flight, which departed from Ahmedabad at 1338 hrs, was carrying 242 passengers and crew members on board the Boeing 787-8 aircraft. Of these, 169 are Indian nationals, 53 are British nationals, one Canadian national and seven Portuguese nationals.
At the time of writing, the number of casualties has not yet been confirmed but those injured "are being taken to the nearest hospitals".
According to Flight Radar, the plane reached a height of 625 feet before descending with a vertical speed of -475 feet per minute. It had been expected to touch down at Gatwick at 6.25 pm this evening.
It's understood that today's "tragic accident" marks the first time that a Boeing 787 Dreamliner has been involved in a major crash, according to the Aviation Safety Network database.
The aircraft was first introduced in 2009, and in that time, more than 1,000 have been delivered to dozens of airlines, Flightradar24 states, with no fatalities. This is also a popular holiday airline, often used by companies such as TUI.
The exact plane that crashed - the 2GPDDAK Air India Boeing 787-8 VT-ANP - has regularly flown between India and destinations such as Paris, Frankfurt, Tokyo, Amsterdam, and Melbourne.
Shortly after departing from runway 23, the plane reportedly gave a "mayday" call, indicating an emergency situation. But it then fell silent.
Faiz Ahmed Kidwai, director general of India's Directorate of Civil Aviation, told Associated Press that the crash happened in the Meghani Nagar area at 1.38 pm local time (9.08 am BST).
Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu, India's aviation minister, said: "We are on highest alert. 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 mobilised, and 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."
Meanwhile, Air India's chairman, N Chandrasekaran, has issued the following statement: "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.
"Further updates will be shared as we receive more verified information. An emergency centre has been activated and support team have been set up for families seeking information."
This is a developing story.
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