In Pictures: Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad, India

Tragedy struck on Thursday as Air India confirmed the crash of Flight 171, which was en route from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, with more than 200 passengers reportedly on board.

In a statement released earlier today, Natarajan Chandrasekaran, Air India Chairman described the incident as a “tragic accident” and extended condolences to the families of those affected.

“With profound sorrow I confirm that Air India Flight 171 operating Ahmedabad–London Gatwick was involved in a tragic accident today.

“Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with the families and loved ones of all those affected by this devastating event,” Chandrasekaran said.

The airline has since activated an emergency response centre and deployed a special support team to assist families seeking information about their loved ones.

Tata Group, which owns Air India, has said it will give 1 crore rupees – the equivalent of around £86,000 – to the families of each person killed in the crash.

The chief executive of Air India, Campbell Wilson, described his “deep sorrow” following the incident.

“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 said in a video statement.