London's Gujarati community 'in shock' following aftermath of deadly Air India crash

Members of London, Ont.'s Gujarati community say they're reeling from shock and devastation following a plane crash that killed hundreds and injured others in northwestern India on Thursday, marking the county's deadliest aviation disaster in decades.

Air India flight AI 171, a Boeing 787-8 bound for London's Gatwick Airport, crashed into a residential area five minutes after takeoff in Ahmedabad, a city of more than five million people. A dentist from Mississauga, Ont., is among the more than 240 fatalities.

For some watching the tragedy's aftermath unfold thousands of kilometres away in southwestern Ontario, the loss has been personal, said Bhavin Patel, whose best friend's mother was killed in the plane crash.

"It's really a very tragic incident and completely unbelievable. We are all very shocked right now," he said. "We lost a lot of loved ones, and we all are waiting to know why this incident happened."

Patel, who is president of the Indian Culture of Southwestern Ontario, said his phone has been ringing nonstop since Thursday morning, with community members frantically searching for answers and loved ones back home describing the chaos on the ground.

LISTEN: How the local Indian community is grieving lives lost in Air India crash

"My friends [in Ahmedabad] told me there were bodies everywhere and people rushing to give their blood to the people if there are survivors, so the blood bank is working around the clock," he said.

"This is a tough time for everybody and a lot of students [in London] are worried about their parents because they can't communicate with them. Everyone is just panicked and worried about what to do and what not to do."

Part of the Boeing Dreamliner, carrying 242 passengers and a crew, fell on top of the dining area of B.J. Medical College. At least five medical students were killed and nearly 50 others were injured, according to the Federation of All India Medical Association, a national body that represents resident doctors across the country.

Firefighters doused the smoking wreckage of the plane, which would have been fully loaded with fuel shortly after takeoff, and surrounding multi-storey buildings with water in the densely populated area, where charred bodies laid on the ground.

Officials said one passenger, a British national of Indian descent, survived the disaster. Others on board included 169 Indian nationals, 53 British citizens, seven people from Portugal and Nirali Sureshkumar Patel from Mississauga, the airline said in a social media post.

"It's just a time to pray for [victims'] families so they will have support," said Mayur Patel, who owns Junction Indian Street Foods in London. "With the photos of the crash, I can imagine the people who must've been burning in the plane. It's a very painful moment for everybody."

News of the deadly crash has shaken up the community who is eager to know what caused it, said Binal Patel, who was dining at the restaurant and is unrelated to the owner.

"I would like to definitely know what made it happen, that's a curiosity but I guess it'll take time to find out. I just pray for their souls," she said.

Dhruv Prajapati is set to fly to Ahmedabad on an Air India plane on Friday and said the incident has evoked some anxiety, but he hopes officials will soon have answers as to what went wrong.

"Lets hope [the airline] takes some action, I don't know what went wrong but I'm sure they will work better regarding their upcoming flights and they will take more precautions," said Prajapati.

"The situation is really bad, it's all smoke around Ahmedabad city and I've seen the dead bodies on social media, it's really the worst ... we can't even find who the person is."

The London community will gather at London's Victoria Park on Sunday to pray for the victims and their families. Indian Culture of Southwestern Ontario has also cancelled its annual "Colours of the Beach" event which takes place every July in Port Stanley, following the tragedy.