A passenger plane crashed in India. What is known by this hour

A passenger plane crashed in western India on Thursday, June 12, NDTV reported. The Air India aircraft operated flight AI171 from Ahmedabad to London.

Circumstances of the disaster

The Air India plane crashed a few minutes after takeoff. It crashed in Gujarat, in a residential area near the Ahmedabad airport.

"We are currently clarifying the details and will share further information in the near future," the airline said in a statement.

At the moment, information about the exact number of passengers on board varies. Initially, local media reported 130 people, but later the News18 portal reported more than 240.

Footage from the scene shows a thick column of black smoke. At least two dozen ambulances arrived at the scene, some of them took the wounded to the hospital. Police have blocked traffic in the area.

There is no information about the dead yet.

Reaction to the crash

Previously, there were no Russians on board, the Russian Consulate General in Mumbai reported.

Indian Interior Minister Amit Shah held a conversation with Chief Minister of Gujarat Bhupendra Patel after the crash. Minister of Civil Aviation K. Rammohan Naidu will arrive at the crash site soon.

The news is being updated