New Delhi: Hours after a London-bound plane crashed soon after taking off from Ahmedabad airport on Thursday, the British High Commission in India said it is working with local authorities to urgently establish the facts and provide support.
According to Air India, the Boeing 787-8 aircraft from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick was carrying 242 passengers and crew members. Of these, 169 are Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian national.
Several casualties are feared.
“We are aware of a plane crash in Ahmedabad. The UK is working with local authorities in India to urgently establish the facts and provide support to those involved,” the Commission said.
It also gave a helpline number (020 7008 5000) where British nationals in need of consular assistance or having concerns about friends or family can reach out for timely help.
The Boeing 787 aircraft crashed in a residential area near Ahmedabad airport, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said.
Air India chairman N Chandrasekaran expressed sorrow over the plane crash in a statement and said all efforts are concentrated towards ensuring support for all those affected and their families.
Leaders from across the world and India have taken to social media to express their condolences. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the plane crash 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,” he wrote on the social media platform X.
