New Delhi: PM Modi Visits Ahmedabad Plane Crash Site, Meets Lone Survivor in Hospital
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday visited the site of the devastating Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crash in Ahmedabad that claimed the lives of 241 people. This incident is being described as one of the most tragic air disasters in recent Indian aviation history.
Arriving at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, the Prime Minister proceeded directly to the crash site in the Meghaninagar area. He was accompanied by Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel. PM Modi also visited the hospital where he met the lone survivor of the crash — Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, a British national of Indian origin.
The Prime Minister, who served as Gujarat’s Chief Minister for over a decade, expressed deep sorrow over the incident. In a statement on X, he said, “It is heartbreaking beyond words. In this sad hour, my thoughts are with everyone affected by it. I have been in constant touch with Ministers and authorities working on relief and recovery efforts.”
The crash occurred on Thursday, just moments after Air India flight AI 171 took off from Ahmedabad, en route to London’s Gatwick Airport. At around 1:30 pm, the aircraft lost altitude and crashed into the residential quarters of BJ Medical College doctors in Meghaninagar, erupting into flames and sending thick plumes of smoke into the sky.
According to the Air Traffic Control, the pilot issued a ‘Mayday’ call shortly after takeoff, indicating a full emergency. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said the aircraft was piloted by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, with over 8,200 flight hours, and First Officer Clive Kundar, who had 1,100 hours of experience.
Aviation experts have suggested that both engine failure and a possible bird hit could have contributed to the crash, based on preliminary visuals. A high-level committee has been constituted by the Centre to investigate the exact cause, as confirmed by Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu.
Home Minister Amit Shah and Minister Kinjarapu had visited the crash site earlier on Thursday to assess the situation.
Tragically, five students from BJ Medical College were among those killed. Visuals from the site showed rescue teams pulling out bodies and transporting the injured — many with severe burns — to the nearby civil hospital.
Air India confirmed that the 241 victims included 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, 7 Portuguese citizens, and 1 Canadian. Only one person survived the crash — Vishwash Kumar Ramesh — who remains hospitalized.
