An Air India flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, crashed shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad en route to London’s Gatwick Airport, with 242 people onboard, including 169 Indians, 53 Britons, 7 Portuguese, and 1 Canadian. The crash occurred in a residential area near the airport, resulting in a massive fire due to 80-90 tonnes of fuel onboard, leaving no time to dump it mid-air.

The pilots issued an urgent "Mayday" distress call just seconds before the aircraft disappeared from radar, signaling a critical emergency in its final moments. Among the casualties are reportedly 20 doctors who were dining at the Bairamji Jijibhoy Medical College hostel when the plane crashed into the building.

The UK Foreign Office confirmed it is working with Indian authorities to determine the facts and assist affected citizens. Rescue operations are ongoing, but the official toll is yet to be confirmed.