Air India says 241 dead after plane crashes following take off

Investigations are underway after an Air India passenger plane headed to London with 242 people on board crashed shortly after takeoff, with only one survivor.

The plane crashed into a medical college in the city of Ahmedabad, causing further casualties.

Lee Seung-jae has more.

Air India says 241 of 242 people onboard a London-bound plane that crashed on Thursday were killed in what is thought to be one of India's worst airline disasters in decades.

The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed in the northwestern city of Ahmedabad, shortly after takeoff.

According to reports 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian national were among the passengers on board.

However,.. one passenger, a British national, miraculously survived the crash, and was sent to a nearby hospital for treatment.

According to authorities, the lone survivor walked away after the accident, and escaped the site without life-threatening injuries.

And the death toll is expected to rise as the aircraft crashed into a residential area attached to BJ Medical College, with part of the plane falling on a dining facility.

According to local authorities, at least five medical students were killed on the ground, and dozens of others were injured.

It's still unclear what caused the crash, however, video footage shows the plane with its nose pointed upward as it sinks lower toward the ground before the crash.

An investigation is also underway to determine the exact cause.

With 53 British nationals on board the ill-fated flight, the UK government has launched a crisis response team and has dispatched an investigation team to India.

Its also working closely with Indian authorities to find the cause of the crash and provide support to affected families.

Lee Seung-jae, Arirang News.