A PASSENGER plane reportedly heading towards the UK has crash landed in India.

Up to 242 people were believed to have been on board the Air India aircraft as it smashed into the ground at an airport in Ahmedabad.

Officials are yet to comment on if there are any casualties.

The plane was headed to Birmingham in the UK, an aviation source told Reuters.

The aircraft was attempting to taking off when it crashed, local TV channels reported.

A fireball explosion is said to have erupted at the airport as thick plumes of black smoke quickly poured into the skies.

The Ahmedabad Fire and Emergency Services Department quickly deployed over five teams to the site.

It is still unclear what caused the disaster.

It follows months of aviation tragedies across the world.

In December, a plane at Muan International Airport crash landed on the tarmac before hitting a brick wall at high speeds.

It exploded in an enormous fireball, killing all but two of the 181 onboard in a devastating catastrophe.