Arunachal CM Pema Khandu mourns demise of Vijay Rupani in Ahmedabad plane crash

Itanagar (Arunachal Pradesh) [India], June 13 (ANI): Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Friday expressed deep grief on the untimely demise of former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani in the tragic plane crash in Ahmedabad a day ago.
In a social media post on X, Chief Minister Khandu expressed his heartfelt condolences to his bereaved family and friends in this difficult time and prayed for the peace of the departed soul.
"I am deeply saddened by the untimely demise of Shri Vijay Rupani Ji, former Chief Minister of Gujarat, who lost his life in the tragic crash of Air India flight AI 171 on June 12, 2025. His visionary leadership, humility, and unwavering commitment to the people will always be remembered. My heartfelt condolences to his family and loved ones. May the Almighty grant him sadgati and give strength to his bereaved family and friends in this difficult time. Om Shanti," Arunachal CM posted on X.
https://x.com/PemaKhanduBJP/status/1933365700745425351
Condolences have been pouring in from several political leaders on the death of Vijay Rupani.
Rupani was in charge of the Punjab unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu had confirmed the presence of former CM Rupani on board the crashed Air India flight.
A total of 241 people onboard the Boeing 787-8, Air India flight 171, including 12 crew members, have died in the deadly Ahmedabad plane crash, Air India confirmed post-midnight on Friday.
"The 12-year-old Boeing 787-8 aircraft departed from Ahmedabad at 1338 hrs, carrying 230 passengers and 12 crew. The aircraft crashed shortly after take-off. We regret to inform that, of the 242 aboard, there are 241 confirmed fatalities. The sole survivor is being treated in a hospital, Air India posted on X.
The flight, which was operating from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick on June 12, 2025, carried 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese nationals, and one Canadian national.
The passenger plane crashed near Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Gujarat's Ahmedabad into a resident doctors' hostel building shortly after take-off.
Miraculously, one person has survived the deadly crash, the airline authorities said, adding that the survivor was a British national of Indian origin.
The aircraft was piloted by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, a Line Training Captain with 8,200 hours of flying experience, assisted by First Officer Clive Kundar, who had logged 1,100 flying hours.
According to Air Traffic Control (ATC), the aircraft departed from Ahmedabad at 1339 IST (0809 UTC) from runway 23. It made a Mayday call to ATC, but thereafter, the aircraft did not respond to the calls made by ATC.
Immediately after departing from Runway 23, the aircraft fell on the ground outside the airport perimeter. An official stated that heavy black smoke was emanating from the accident site.
The Tata Group has announced a compensation of Rs 1 crore for the families of each person who lost their lives in the crash. (ANI)