Plane carrying 242 people crashes outside airport in western Indian city of Ahmedabad

CNN
 — 

An Air India passenger plane with 242 people on board has crashed shortly after taking off from an airport in India’s western city of Ahmedabad.

Images from the scene showed thick black smoke rising up into the sky after the plane crashed in a residential area. Part of the aircraft was pictured resting on top of a building. Other images showed scorched trees and a fire-blackened building with responders hosing down the area.

A senior police officer told reporters that the plane had hit a doctors’ hostel, according to Reuters.

The number of casualties was not immediately clear. The plane was bound for London’s Gatwick Airport, where…