An Air India plane with 242 people on board has crashed at the airport in the western Indian city of Ahmedabad.
See LIVE image from the crash site
The aircraft was bound for London's Gatwick Airport and, under circumstances that are still unclear, crashed during takeoff.
According to IndiaToday, there were 242 people on board the aircraft, of which 230 were passengers and 12 were crew.
Video from the moment of the plane crash
The first images from the incident show the chaos prevailing at the scene with debris burning, and thick black smoke rising into the sky near the airport.
Images also showed people being carried on stretchers and taken away in ambulances.
Boeing 787 Dreamliner with a capacity of 300 passengers and fully fueled
According to initial reports, it is a Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft that has a capacity of approximately 300 passengers.
The flight was fully fueled for the nearly 10-hour transatlantic journey, which made both the explosion and the ensuing fire more intense.
There is currently no official confirmation of casualties while a rescue operation is underway.
The aircraft's captain had 8.200 hours of flying experience.
Air India confirmed that Flight 171 from the western city of Ahmedabad to London's Gatwick Airport crashed in a "tragic accident".
"It is with deep sadness that I confirm that Air India Flight 171 from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick Airport was involved in a tragic accident today," Air India Chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran said in a statement carried by Agence France-Presse (AFP).
"Our condolences and deep sympathy go out to the families and loved ones of all those affected by this devastating event," he added, noting that an emergency center has been activated and a support group has been set up for families seeking information.
The London-bound flight took off from Ahmedabad at around 13:47 p.m., slightly behind schedule. Authorities say it crashed nine minutes after being cleared for takeoff by the control tower.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation of India issued the following statement to Indian media:
"The captain Sumeet Sabharwal is an LTC with 8.200 hours of flying experience. The co-pilot had 1.100 hours of flying experience. The aircraft took off from Ahmedabad at 13:39 pm local time from runway 23. He sent an SOS signal to the Control Tower, but then did not respond to the calls. Immediately after taking off from runway 23, the aircraft crashed outside the airport. Thick black smoke was rising from the accident site."
Source: protothema
