Air India Plane Crash: Prime Minister Modi Visits Crash Site In Ahmedabad

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday (13 June) arrived in Ahmedabad and visited the site of the Air India plane crash.

The Boeing 787-8, which crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad airport on Thursday (12 June), was carrying 242 passengers and crew.

Expressing grief on the accident, PM Modi on Thursday said in a post on X, "The tragedy in Ahmedabad has stunned and saddened us. It is heartbreaking beyond words. In this sad hour, my thoughts are with everyone affected by it. Have been in touch with Ministers and authorities who are working to assist those affected"

According to reports, there were 241 confirmed fatalities in the accident.

Senior BJP leader and former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani was among those killed in the tragic accident.

Among those on board, there were 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian.

The sole survivor is a British national of Indian origin, currently receiving treatment in a hospital.

The flight departed from Ahmedabad airport at 1.38 PM, carrying 230 passengers and 12 crew members.

According to reports, shortly after take-off, the pilot sent out a "mayday" call.

There was no response after that to repeated calls from the air traffic controller, say reports.

In a statement, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said the aircraft piloted by captain Sumeet Sabharwal with 8,200 hours of experience and first officer Clive Kundar with 1,100 hours of experience made a mayday call just before the crash.

Air India has set up a dedicated passenger hotline number 1800 5691 444 to provide more information.

Also Read: Air India's London-Bound Plane With 242 Passengers And Crew Members On Board Crashes Near Ahmedabad Airport In Gujarat