Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami expresses condolences over Ahmedabad plane crash

Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], June 13 (ANI): Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed condolences following the tragic crash of an Air India flight near Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport (SVPIA) in Gujarat's Ahmedabad on Thursday.
Speaking to the reporters on Thursday, he said, "...I express my condolences to those who lost their lives and wish speedy recovery to those injured... May God give strength to the families of those who lost their lives in this incident...."
Dhami expressed grief over the untimely demise of former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, who lost his life in the tragic Air India Flight crash.
Describing Rupani as "a very humble politician," he said, "...Vijay Rupani was a very humble politician. He made a lot of contributions to Gujarat and the nation..."
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 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)