Rescue operation was underway after an Air India flight bound for London crashed into a residential area shortly after takeoff in Ahmedabad in the western Indian state of Gujarat on Thursday.
Of the 242 people on board, 241 were killed, with one survivor -- a British national who is receiving treatment in hospital now, according to Air India.
The Boeing 787-8 aircraft took off from the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad at 13:38 local time with 230 passengers, two pilots and 10 crew members aboard, Air India said.
"I just come here. This is the spot where the Air India flight is crashed. You can see the debris behind me. It's hardly one kilometer from the Ahmedabad airport," China Media Group reporter Devender Singh said from the crash site.
The ill-fated plane crashed on a doctors' hostel, with up to 200 people believed to be inside at the time, triggering a massive explosion and fire.
According to witnesses, thick smoke billowed into the sky as the aircraft disintegrated upon impact, destroying or damaging buildings in the vicinity. The aircraft, which had been prepared for a long-haul flight, was carrying a large amount of fuel.
According to Air India, the pilot had 8,200 flight hours of experience, while the co-pilot had 1,100 hours.
In the aftermath of the disaster, officials from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) of India, along with local fire and police units, rushed to the scene to conduct search and rescue operations.
All flights at the Ahmedabad airport have been suspended, and emergency centers have been put into operation. Eyewitnesses reported seeing bodies being transported to hospitals for identification.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the incident as a tragedy and heartbreaking beyond words.
"The tragedy in Ahmedabad has stunned and saddened us. It is heartbreaking beyond words. In this sad hour, my thoughts are with everyone affected by it. Have been in touch with ministers and authorities who are working to assist those affected," Modi wrote on social media platform X.
Indian Home Minister Amit Shah and Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu have arrived at the site to oversee rescue efforts.
In response to the tragedy, Air India has established an emergency hotline and contact center, pledging full cooperation with the investigation.
Boeing has also expressed "deep concern" and dispatched a technical team to assist.
India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) say they are conducting a thorough investigation.
The aircraft's black box has been recovered and technical analysis of the data is ongoing.
Rescue operation underway after fatal plane crash in India
Intense rescue operation underway after fatal plane crash in India
Fujian Province in east China has evacuated people to safe places, called back fishing boats to the wharf, and canceled passenger trains, in its emergency response to Danas, the fourth typhoon of the year.
Danas emerged on Saturday in the northeastern waters of the South China Sea and intensified from a severe tropical storm to a typhoon on Sunday morning. Now it's moving northeast towards coastal provinces in east and south China.
Fujian has upgraded its typhoon emergency response to level III, the second lowest in China's four-tier natural disaster emergency response system, with level I being the highest and level IV the lowest.
In Dongshan County, a key fishing hub in Fujian, all of 8,773 fishing vessels returned to port on Sunday, with over 1,640 marine aquaculture producers having been evacuated ashore.
Fishermen across the county's fishing ports have raced against time to transport their catches ashore to the market before Typhoon Danas makes landfall.
In offshore aquaculture areas of Dongshan's Tongling Town, local government and fishery officials inspected every sampan and assisted fishermen with reinforcement efforts.
"We have deployed six teams, three to inspect the sampans and another three stationed at the docks, to monitor fishing vessels entering and exiting the harbor," said Lin Tiankui, deputy head of Tongling Town.
The county has implemented round-the-clock monitoring at critical locations, including fishing ports and docks, with officials taking shifts to guard against the typhoon.
In Fujian's Ningde City, comprehensive operations against the typhoon are also underway.
On Sunday afternoon, local officials helped fishermen in the coastal towns of Fu'an, a county-level city in Fujian, strengthen floating sampans and fasten fishing nets while organizing the evacuation of personnel.
"All the121 registered fishing vessels of Xiabaishi Town have been called back to harbors. All fishermen have returned ashore to our designated shelters, where we've stockpiled ample disaster relief supplies," said Liu Shusheng, captain of the comprehensive law enforcement brigade in Xiabaishi Town, Fu'an City.
As of Sunday afternoon, all 34,669 fishing vessels across Ningde City had been secured in safe locations. A total of 2,404 shelters with sufficient rescue equipment and essential living supplies have been prepared in the city.
Before the typhoon's landing, transportation networks in Fujian are also taking decisive action.
China Railway Nanchang Group initiated a Level III emergency response on Sunday, suspending multiple passenger routes across Fujian Province starting Monday morning.
Passengers affected by the cancellations can be fully refunded within 30 days of their original travel date, according to the company.
Local railway authorities in Ningde have taken comprehensive precautions, including clearing track drainage systems, inspecting roadside hazards such as unstable billboards and trees, and conducting 24-hour monitoring at flood-prone zones, particularly tunnel entrances.
To ensure traveler safety, coastal railway stations across Fujian Province have stockpiled emergency supplies and deployed additional staff to guide passengers at escalators and key passageways.
Passengers were advised to check for updates through China's official railway ticket-booking platform 12306 to plan their journeys accordingly, as service adjustments will be made in real time depending on weather conditions.
Fujian gets ready for Typhoon Danas
