An aviation expert has weighed in on the cause of , pointing at the possibility of human error.
The plane, which was carrying 242 people - including 53 Brits - in western India, less than a minute after its departure on Thursday.
The aircraft in question has been identified as a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, registered under VT-ANB. As it crashed down, it The understands. The cause of the crash has not been shared yet, with Boeing stating: "We are aware of initial reports and are working to gather more information.”
Marco Chan, former airline pilot and senior aviation lecturer at Buckinghamshire New University, has shared his theories as to what could have caused the catastrophe.
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Speaking exclusively to The, he reviewed low-resolution footage of the crash which was circulating online.
Mr Chan said: "I understand there are several experts who have identified the fact that the flats or slats on the wings haven't been extended properly. I can't really verify that from the footage, but that could be a possibility.
"The flaps increase the surface area of the wing, so more air comes into contact with the wing.
"It's like when you put your arms out of your car and if you have your sleeves hanging out as well, and the wind catches your sleeves. More air comes under the lifts up the plane.
"So without those, the aircraft would have less lift, and, and with those extended properly, the aircraft is able to generate the same amount of lift at a much lower speed. In this case that could be an issue."
He added that pilots must also go through checklists to verify the configuration of the aircraft before take off.
"Admittedly yes, that would be a human error if that wasn't done properly."
Mr Chan explained: "In the cockpit of the Airbus I used to operate, we have what we call the take-off config button, which tests the take-off configuration. If there's a problem, it would give you a signal to say you haven't done your job properly.
"On top of that we'll have a paper or digital checklist again just to verify that things have been prepared properly".
Mr Chan examined other factors that could have interfered with the plane, such as the weather.
"Usually with these incidents, the first thing I'll look at is the reports, but then it appears to be a calm day, no wind or thunderstorms or anything, so that could be ruled out," he said.
"I also looked at the status of the engines. I can't see any smoke coming out of the engines, which means it's unlikely there was an issue with either of them. With a bird strike, strike would usually have a puff of smoke from the engine, so that could be ruled out too
"Potentially there could be an engine failure, but again, engine failure would result in smoke a lot of time or at least small fireballs. Investigators will want to look at that."
The expert also commented on reports that the aircraft did not use the full length of the runway.
"They were reportedly taking off from an intersection of the runway, which means you have a shorter runway.
"The engine has to work extra hard for it to climb, so that could be a factor as well."
Mr Chan also ruled out any intentionality behind the crash, pointing at one key indicator.
"Usually, if it was an intentional crash, the nose of the aircraft would be pointing towards the ground. It would be in a dive, although to be fair, it's only 400 ft above ground.
"Instead, it was sort of falling out of the sky with the nose still pointing upwards, which points to the fact that I think the aircraft is still trying to climb, but it couldn't."
According to air traffic control at Ahmedabad Airport, the aircraft departed at 1:39 p.m. local time (9:09 a.m. BST) from runway 23.
Shortly after take-off, the crew indicating an emergency situation. However, no further communication was received from the aircraft after the initial alert.
Flight tracking service Flightradar24 reported that it lost the signal from the aircraft just seconds after it became airborne. "The signal from the aircraft was lost at 10:08 local time at 625 feet, less than a minute after take off," the site tweeted.
The plane was en route to London Gatwick and was due to arrive at 18:25 this evening.
In a statement posted online, the airport said: "We can confirm that flight AI171, which crashed shortly after departing from Ahmedabad Airport today, was scheduled to arrive at London Gatwick at 18:25."
Prime Minister Sir said the crash was “devastating”, while his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi said it was “heartbreaking beyond words”.
The King is being updated on the incident, said.
India’s federal health minister Jagat Prakash Nadda said in a statement that “many people” were killed in the crash.
Air India’s chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran described the incident as a “tragic accident” and a “devastating event” and said emergency response teams are at the site.
Commons Leader Lucy Powell said the Government will provide “all the support that it can” to those affected by the incident.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has stood up a crisis team in India and the UK, Foreign Secretary said.
Air India was acquired by Tata Group from the Indian government in January 2022 after racking up billions of pounds of losses.
The airline’s UK operations are at Birmingham, Gatwick and Heathrow, with routes to a number of Indian cities such as Ahmedabad, Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru.
Recent analysis by the PA news agency found it was the worst airline for delays to flights from UK airports last year, with planes taking off by an average of more than 45 minutes later than scheduled.
The airline has gained a poor reputation for delays and cancellations in recent years, partly caused by a lack of funds to purchase spare aircraft parts, which led to some of its fleet being grounded.
The first flight of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft involved in the crash was in December 2013.
The plane was delivered to Air India during the following month.
The FCDO said any British nationals requiring consular assistance, or who have concerns about family or friends, should call 020 7008 5000.
