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At least 30 to 35 bodies have been recovered from a building at the crash site of Air India
flight AI-171 from (Ahmedabad to Gatwick) that crashed immediately after takeoff from Ahmedabad, according to Reuters.
The plane was headed for Gatwick Airport, south of the British capital, Air India said, while police officers said it crashed in a residential area near the airport.
"The building on which it has crashed is a doctors' hostel... we have cleared almost 70% to 80% of the area and will clear the rest soon," a senior police officer told reporters, according to Reuters.
Rescue workers said that at least 30 to 35 bodies had been recovered from the site and that more people were trapped.
The passengers included 217 adults, 11 children and two infants a source told Reuters. Of them, 169 were Indian nationals, 53 were Britons, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian, Air India said.
Aviation tracking site Flightradar24 said the plane was a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday expressed deep sorrow over the tragic incident in Ahmedabad, terming it "heartbreaking beyond words."
UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy has expressed sadness over the crash and said Britain is working with local authorities in India to provide support.