An Air India flight bound for London Gatwick crashed shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad on Thursday, killing more than 100 people and devastating a residential area near the airport, officials confirmed.

Flight AI171, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner carrying 242 people — including 232 passengers and 12 crew — lost contact with air traffic control less than a minute after departure at 1:39 p.m. local time. A mayday call was issued moments later.

The aircraft went down at an altitude of approximately 625 feet, striking a building housing a medical hostel and causing extensive damage. Emergency services rushed to the scene, recovering numerous bodies, many of them badly charred. The death toll makes it one of India’s worst aviation disasters in recent decades.

A senior police officer said the aircraft collided with the B.J. Medical College hostel's dining area, killing several students. Authorities reported that 70 to 80 percent of the affected zone had been cleared, with search and recovery operations ongoing into the evening.

Among those on board were 169 Indian nationals, 53 British citizens, seven Portuguese nationals, and one Canadian. The remaining victims included 11 children and two infants. Several injured survivors were taken to nearby hospitals for treatment.

Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu said that rescue teams had been fully mobilised and that the government remained on high alert. Air India Chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran confirmed that full support had been extended to emergency responders.

Weather conditions at the time of the crash were reported to be generally clear, with moderate winds and visibility at six kilometres. Investigators said the likelihood of weather as a contributing factor was low.

All flight operations at Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport have been suspended as authorities begin their investigation into the crash’s cause. A full inquiry is expected to involve both Indian and international aviation agencies.

Expressions of sympathy have poured in from around the world. President Dr Mohamed Muizzu conveyed his profound sorrow. In a statement on his official X account, he expressed solidarity with India, stating that the Government and people of the Maldives stand with the Indian nation during this time of mourning.