Ahmedabad: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has confirmed that Air India flight AI171, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner VT-ANB, operating from Ahmedabad to London's Gatwick Airport, crashed shortly after takeoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad. The aircraft took off at 1:39 pm IST and lost contact with air traffic control (ATC) after issuing a MAYDAY call.

The flight was carrying 242 people, including 232 passengers and 10 crew members, under the command of Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, a Line Training Captain (LTC) with 8,200 hours of flying experience, and First Officer Clive Kunder, who had 1,100 hours of flying experience.

The DGCA also reported that the aircraft fell on the ground immediately after takeoff from Runway 23 with rising black clouds coming from the accident site.