A passenger plane operated by India's state-owned airline Air India, carrying 242 people, crashed on the 12th (local time) near Ahmedabad Airport in western India.
According to foreign media including the BBC and the Times of India, the Air India flight AI171, which had left Ahmedabad International Airport that day, crashed shortly after takeoff while en route to London, England.
The BBC reported, citing the international flight tracking website "FlightRadar," that the plane lost signal less than a minute after takeoff at an altitude of 185 meters. The aircraft also reportedly sent a distress signal to the control tower at that time. The aircraft model was identified as the "Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner." This is the first crash involving this model since it began operating in 2011.
Air India stated that "of the 230 passengers on board, 169 were Indian nationals, 53 were British nationals, 1 was a Canadian national, and 7 were Portuguese nationals."
Reuters reported that "the passenger plane crashed into a dormitory of BJ Medical College operated by the Gujarat state," and noted that "many medical students inside the building have died."
As of now, the Indian government has officially announced that 204 people have died. This figure includes not only the passengers but also local residents in the area where the plane crashed. Indian police stated, "We have recovered 204 bodies at the crash site and transported 41 injured individuals to the hospital."
There is one survivor. Indian police noted, "Given the circumstances at the site, it seems there would be no survivors from the aircraft," however, it is reported that a person was discovered in seat 11A during the debris search. According to local reports, this survivor is a British national, who sustained injuries to his eyes, chest, and feet and is currently receiving treatment.
Immediately after the incident, the Indian government deployed rescue and investigation personnel to the scene. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed on X (formerly Twitter) that he is "heartbroken beyond words" due to the tragedy in Ahmedabad and extended his "deep condolences to all the affected," stating that he is in contact with the Minister and relevant authorities to address the situation.
Ahmedabad International Airport has currently suspended all flight operations. The airport stated, "All departures will be on hold until further notice."