A London-bound plane crashes in India with more than 240 people on board

A plane carrying 242 people bound for London has crashed in Ahmedabad, India. According to the 
Flightradar24 platform ‘s X account, the last signal from the aircraft was received at 1:38 p.m. (10:38 a.m. Spanish time), just seconds after takeoff. “There are many dead,” the Indian health minister has already stated.

In what appears to be one of India’s worst air disasters in recent history, 169 Indians, 53 Britons, seven Portuguese nationals and one Canadian were on board . According to El País, the plane, which was bound for London’s Gatwick Airport, crashed into a densely populated residential area called Meghani Nagar shortly after starting its climb.

Air India has released a brief statement about the accident on social media: “Flight AI171, operating the Ahmedabad-London Gatwick route, experienced an incident following takeoff.” The full extent and death toll from the disaster are still unknown, but The Guardian reports that the injured are being taken to nearby hospitals and the airline has set up a dedicated helpline for families and loved ones.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer speaks out

For the moment, Ahmedabad airport has suspended all flights and is closed . Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed his dismay at the accident through X. “We are deeply shocked and saddened by the tragedy. It is a pain that cannot be expressed in words,” he wrote. For his part, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the images of the accident as “devastating” on his X account, and reported that his government is working with local authorities in India to clarify the facts and provide the necessary support.

According to La Vanguardia, Ahmedabad is the capital of Gujarat, the home state of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Traditionally a mercantile state, it is a coastal state located in northwestern India, bordering Pakistan. The emergency response is being coordinated by Home Minister Amit Shah, also a Gujarati.