PM Modi Visits Ahmedabad After Air India Plane Crash, Offers Support to Victims
PM Modi's Visit to Crash Site and Hospital
On Friday morning, Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Ahmedabad to assess the situation following the tragic Air India plane crash. He first visited the crash site before heading to the Civil Hospital to meet the injured individuals from the incident that occurred the previous day.
Accompanying him were Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu, Union Minister of State Murlidhar Mohol, and State Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi.
Details of the Crash
The Air India flight AI-171, which was en route to London's Gatwick Airport, crashed shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad International Airport on Thursday. Reports indicate that only one of the 242 passengers on board survived the accident.
Among those on the flight were 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese nationals, and one Canadian national. Remarkably, a British national of Indian descent was the sole survivor, according to airline officials.
Pilot and Flight Information
The aircraft was under the command of Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, a Line Training Captain with over 8,200 hours of flying experience, along with First Officer Clive Kundar, who had logged 1,100 hours.
Air Traffic Control (ATC) reported that the plane took off from Ahmedabad at 1339 IST (0809 UTC) from runway 23. Shortly after takeoff, the aircraft issued a Mayday call but failed to respond to subsequent communications from ATC.
Investigation and Response
The plane crashed just outside the airport perimeter, with officials noting heavy black smoke emanating from the site. Union Home Minister Amit Shah met with Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel to gather detailed information about the incident.
Shah stated that the high temperatures from burning approximately 125,000 liters of fuel made survival impossible for anyone on board. He expressed condolences to the families of the deceased and mentioned that the exact death toll would be confirmed after DNA testing, with around 1,000 tests already conducted.
Ongoing Investigation and Support
A formal investigation into the crash has been initiated by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), as confirmed by Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu. This investigation follows international protocols established by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).
Additionally, the Indian government is forming a high-level committee of experts to analyze the crash and enhance aviation safety measures. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) from the United States is preparing to send a team to assist in the investigation.
The Tata Group, which owns Air India, has established a dedicated hotline for passengers and announced a compensation of Rs 1 crore for the families of each victim.