Plane with 242 passengers onboard crashes near a prominent airport in India.

An Air India plane carrying 242 individuals, including 230 passengers and 12 crew members, crashed near the major international airport in Ahmedabad, India, on Thursday. The airline, along with the Indian government, confirmed the incident, which has resulted in widespread devastation. Footage shared on social media shortly after the crash shows thick black smoke rising from a civilian area south of the airport, with scenes of destruction evident at the crash site.

Images from the scene depict the plane’s tail protruding from the wall of a nearby building, while rescuers sift through charred remains and assess the damage to a downed tree close to a residential complex. Among the passengers were 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, one Canadian, and seven from Portugal. The airline is currently assisting injured individuals by taking them to nearby hospitals.

Details regarding potential fatalities remain unclear, but the flight was set to depart for London at 1:10 p.m. local time, with an expected arrival at 6:25 p.m. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences on social media, stating the tragedy has left the nation “stunned and saddened.” The country’s Civil Aviation Minister, Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu, also expressed his shock and confirmed that he is closely monitoring the situation, coordinating with aviation and emergency agencies for a swift response. The troubled flight involved a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, with the last signal recorded seconds after takeoff.

Boeing stated they were aware of the incident and were gathering more information. Plane crashes in India are rare, and the incident has already impacted Boeing’s stock significantly. Air India, under the management of the Tata Group, has activated an emergency center to assist the families of those affected.