A Boeing 787-8 operated by Air India crashed this afternoon (12th) while en route from Gujarat to London. Shortly after taking off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, the flight sent out an emergency distress signal and ultimately crashed at 1:17 PM, resulting in an instant explosion that sent smoke soaring into the sky.

Recently released surveillance footage shows the crash occurred at astonishing speed, with the aircraft going from the runway to crash in less than five minutes; it even plunged to the ground after approximately 30 seconds due to unknown reasons. The crash site was unlucky enough to be near a major medical facility in Ahmedabad, impacting student dormitories at a medical college, where many students were present at the time.

While authorities have yet to release a complete passenger list and details of the casualties, preliminary reports from local police indicate that there were approximately 242 passengers and crew members on board, initially believed to have all perished. However, rescue teams found one survivor on site, a British national, who has been urgently taken to the hospital for treatment, while the search for other injured and missing individuals continues.

Following this incident, the Indian Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the airline have both launched investigations. Aviation experts suggest that from the footage and flight path analysis, the aircraft may have experienced systemic failure or structural problems during the takeoff phase, with the exact reasons awaiting further clarification through black box data.