Ahmedabad Flight Crash: Air India Chairman Chandrasekaran Says Emergency Centre Activated
Air India Chairman N Chandrasekaran expressed grief over the Ahmedabad crash, saying the company will extend all possible help to the affected.
Air India Chairman N Chandrasekaran said on Thursday an emergency centre has been activated and a support team has been set up for families seeking information on the Ahmedabad plane crash. He expressed grief over the incident in a statement.
"Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with the families and loved ones of all those affected by this devastating event. At this moment, our primary focus is on supporting all the affected people and their families. We are doing everything in our power to assist the emergency response teams at the site and to provide all necessary support and care to those impacted," he said.
Read all live updates on the Ahmedabad Plane Crash here.
Air India plane AI 171 with 242 passengers, heading from Ahmedabad to London, has crashed in the Meghaninagar IGP complex of Ahmedabad city. The Air India Boeing Dreamliner was a 787 craft.
The flight was scheduled to take off at 13:10 IST and land at London's Gatwick Airport at 18:25 BST. "Flight AI171, operating Ahmedabad-London Gatwick, was involved in an incident today," tweeted the airline. "We are ascertaining the details and will share further updates at the earliest," said the tweet.
All roads have been cordoned off after the crash. Three National Disaster Response Force teams, comprising 90 personnel, have been moved from Gandhinagar to the plane crash site. A total of three more teams are being moved from Vadodara, as per NDRF.
The plane contained 242 people, said the DGCA. There were 230 adults and two infants on board, apart from 12 crew members.
The injured have been rushed to a hospital, said witnesses to NDTV. At least a dozen ambulances were seen rushing to the spot. An emergency centre has been activated and support team have been set up for families seeking information, tweeted N Chandrasekaran, the chairman of Air India.
Home Minister Amit Shah spoke to the Gujarat Chief Minister, Home Minister and Police Commissioner, and has assured all possible help by the Central Government. Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu is heading to Ahmedabad, from Vijayawada.
