An Air India plane carrying over 240 people has crashed into a residential area shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad airport in western India, officials confirmed on Thursday. According to Faiz Ahmed Kidwai, Director General of India’s Directorate of Civil Aviation, Flight AI171 was en route to London Gatwick Airport when it crashed into Meghani Nagar, a densely populated suburb, just five minutes after takeoff at 1:38pm local time (08:08 GMT). The aircraft was carrying 232 passengers and 12 crew members. Footage from the scene showed thick smoke rising from the crash site, located close to the airport, as emergency services rushed to contain the fire and search for survivors. India’s Aviation Minister, Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu, expressed deep sorrow over the incident, saying he was “shocked and devastated” by the tragedy. “My thoughts and prayers are with all those on board and their families,” he said in a statement. Rescue operations are ongoing and authorities are expected to provide further updates as the situation develops.