Jaishankar Contacts Foreign Counterparts After Plane Crash

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar acted swiftly after the Air India Flight AI171 crash. He contacted UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy, Portuguese Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel, and Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand.

On X, Jaishankar posted, “In touch with FS @DavidLammy of the UK, FM @PauloRangel_pt of Portugal and FM @AnitaAnandMP of Canada regarding the Ahmedabad plane crash. Expressed our profound condolences and offered fullest support in this hour of grief.”

Air India Flight AI171 Crashes After Takeoff

Tragedy struck on June 12 when a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad. The flight was heading to London Gatwick. At 1:39 PM IST, the aircraft went down in the Meghaninagar area, just outside the airport boundary.

241 People Killed, One Survivor

There were 242 people on board—2 pilots, 10 cabin crew, and 230 passengers. Sadly, 241 lost their lives. The only survivor is in critical condition. The passengers included 169 Indians, 53 British nationals, 7 Portuguese citizens, and 1 Canadian.

Crew and Flight Details

Captain Sumeet Sabharwal piloted the flight. He had 8,200 hours of flying experience. First Officer Clive Kundar, with 1,100 hours of experience, assisted him.

According to DGCA, the aircraft took off from Runway 23 at 1:39 PM. Moments later, it issued a Mayday call. But after that, Air Traffic Control received no further communication. The aircraft crashed shortly afterward.

Heavy Smoke and Immediate Response

Eyewitnesses reported seeing heavy black smoke from the crash site. Emergency teams reached the scene immediately.

PM Modi Responds on Ground

Prime Minister Narendra Modi rushed to Ahmedabad. He reviewed the situation at the airport and visited the crash site. He also spoke to Civil Aviation Minister Rammohan Naidu and Home Minister Amit Shah.

The Prime Minister instructed them to ensure all support is extended to the victims’ families. He asked for constant updates and ordered swift rescue and relief operations.

Global Leaders Express Grief

Leaders from around the world expressed sorrow. UK PM Keir Starmer, US President Donald Trump, Japanese PM Shigeru Ishiba, Portuguese PM Luis Montenegro, and Canadian PM Mark Carney all sent condolences. This devastating crash has shocked the nation and the world. Authorities are continuing investigations to find out what went wrong.