Close relative of Maharashtra NCP President killed in Ahmedabad plane crash: Ajit Pawar

Buldhana (Maharashtra) [India], June 13 (ANI): Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has informed that a close relative of Nationalist Congress Party's (NCP) state unit chief Sunil Tatkare was one of the people who were killed in the Ahmedabad plane crash.
"A close relative of Maharashtra NCP president Sunil Tatkare, who was an air hostess, has died in the accident," Pawar said while addressing the gathering here.
He said that the Central government had ordered an inquiry into the incident, which would reveal the exact cause of the flight crash.
"I express my heartfelt condolences to the families who have lost their loved ones...the plane crashed minutes after take-off. The Central government has ordered an inquiry into the incident. We will get to know the exact reason why this happened," the Deputy CM added.
The Boeing 787-8, Air India flight 171, which crashed shortly after taking off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Gujarat's Ahmedabad, has claimed the lives of 241 people onboard.
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has increased the number of teams attending to the emergency situation at the plane crash site in Ahmedabad. NDRF Inspector Vinay Kumar said that the specialised force has recovered 81 bodies so far and has deployed seven teams to help with the emergency situation.
The passenger flight crashed near the airport into a resident doctors' hostel building.
Meanwhile, a formal investigation has been launched by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) into the deadly crash of Air India flight 171 that killed 241 people onboard, Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu confirmed on Thursday.
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau is a division of the Ministry of Civil Aviation tasked with probing aircraft accidents in India.
"Following the tragic incident in Ahmedabad, a formal investigation has been initiated by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), in line with international protocols set by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO)," Naidu posted on X.
He informed that the Indian government was also constituting a high-level committee of people with expertise in multiple disciplines to examine the crash incident and devise ways to strengthen aviation safety by preventing such incidents in the future.
Meanwhile, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), a federal agency authorised by Congress to investigate civil aviation accidents in the United States (US), is gearing up to send a team of investigators to India to assist with probing the deadly Ahmedabad plane crash.
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 Tata group-owned airline has set up a dedicated passenger hotline number, 1800 5691 444, to provide more information. Those calling from outside India can call +91 8062779200.
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 Runway 23, the aircraft fell on the ground outside the airport perimeter. An official said heavy black smoke was coming 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)