A boeing Dreamliner plane, headed to London with 242 individuals on board, crashed on Thursday moments after its departure from Ahmedabad in western India. The incident marks what appears to be the first fatal crash involving a Boeing Dreamliner.

Social media footage depicted the jetliner descending, followed by a large fire and a plume of smoke.

G.S. Malik, the police commissioner for Ahmedabad, stated to The Associated Press, “It appears there are no survivors in the plane crash,” adding that “some locals would have also died” as the plane crashed in a residential and office area. He noted that casualty figures were still being resolute.

Flight tracking site FlightRadar24 reported that the signal from Air India Flight 171 was lost at 1:38 p.m. local time, less than a minute after takeoff.

The flight’s destination was London Gatwick Airport.

Air India’s CEO Campbell Wilson addressed the tragedy in a video message, saying, “This is a difficult day for all of us at Air India and our efforts now are focused entirely on the needs of our passengers, crew members, their families and loved ones.” He also mentioned that injured individuals were taken to a nearby hospital.

the flight manifest included 230 passengers and 12 crew members, comprising 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese nationals, and one Canadian, according to Wilson.

FlightRadar24 shared on X that initial flight-path data “shows that the aircraft reached a maximum barometric altitude of 625 feet (airport altitude is about 200 feet) and then it started to descend with an vertical speed of -475 feet per minute.”

The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, a popular wide-body aircraft designed for long-distance routes, was delivered to Air india in 2014, according to FlightRadar24.

The cause of the crash remains unknown and could take months to investigate. International protocols dictate that the contry where the incident occurred leads the examination, with participation from officials, the aircraft and engine manufacturers, and other relevant parties.

CEO Wilson stated, “We understand people are eager for information, and please know that we will continue to share accurate and timely information as soon as we can.”

The aircraft, over 11 years old, had accumulated 41,000 hours of flight time and nearly 8,000 takeoffs, which aviation-data firm Cirium considers average for its age and type.

Boeing released a statement saying, “we are in contact with Air India regarding Flight 171 and stand ready to support them. Our thoughts are with the passengers, crew, first responders and all affected.”

The plane was equipped with two GE Aerospace engines.

A GE spokesperson conveyed, “We extend our heartfelt sympathies to the families and loved ones of those impacted. We have activated our emergency response team,and we are prepared to support our customer and the investigation.”

Following the crash, flights were temporarily suspended at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International airport, a major airport in the region, but have since resumed, according to India’s government press bureau.

india’s aviation minister, Ram mohan Naidu Kinjarapu, posted on X, “Rescue teams have been mobilised, and all efforts are being made to ensure medical aid and relief support are being rushed to the site. My thoughts and prayers are with all those on board and their families.”

The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board has announced it will send a team of investigators to India.

The incident occurred just before the Paris Air Show,where Boeing and Airbus are expected to announce numerous aircraft orders.

Boeing has been addressing safety and quality concerns, though it remains unclear whether a quality issue contributed to the Air India crash.

Boeing shares experienced a drop of over 3% in early morning trading.

Air India has been actively investing in modernizing its fleet and upgrading cabin amenities.