An Air India flight bound for London has crashed into a residential area shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad, western India, with 244 people on board.
Officials have not yet confirmed the number of casualties, but the crash site is in a densely populated part of the city.
Faiz Ahmed Kidwai, head of India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation, told the Associated Press that the plane went down in Meghani Nagar, a crowded residential district near the airport.
The aircraft, operating as Flight AI171, was carrying 232 passengers and 12 crew members.
Tracking service Flightradar24 reported that the plane lost contact just seconds after departure, with the last signal recorded at an altitude of only 625 feet (190 metres).
Air India chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran confirmed the crash in a statement posted on X, formerly Twitter.
"With profound sorrow I confirm that Air India Flight 171 operating Ahmedabad–London Gatwick was involved in a tragic accident today," he said.
"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."
He added that the airline was working closely with emergency services at the crash site and had activated an emergency centre and support teams to assist families seeking information.
The Chief Minister of Gujarat, Bhupendra Patel, also posted on X, saying officials had been instructed to carry out “immediate rescue and relief operations” and to mobilise resources on a “war footing.”
"I have also instructed officials to arrange a green corridor to transport the injured passengers for treatment and to ensure all necessary medical arrangements are made at the hospital on priority," he wrote.
Eyewitnesses in Meghani Nagar described a large explosion and thick black smoke rising from the area.
Rescue operations are underway as fire crews and emergency responders attempt to recover survivors and secure the wreckage.
This is a developing story. More details will be published as they become available.