US President Donald Trump described the plane crash in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, being “terrible and terrible” as well as one of the worst accidents in aviation history. He offered assistance to India.
Participating in a bill signing ceremony on Thursday, Trump expressed confidence that India would be able to deal with this problem. However, he also offered support to India.
On the plane crash in Ahmedabad, Trump said, “The plane crash was terrible. I had already told them that whatever we can do, it is a big country, a strong country, they will handle it, they will handle it, I am sure, but, I told them that whatever we can do, we will reach there immediately. But, it was a terrible accident. There was an accident. Nobody knows what it could be. “
Trump further said, “I gave them some indications. I said, perhaps you will see it. We saw the aircraft, it seemed that it was flying very well. It did not seem that there was an explosion.
Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft, including 242 people, including 12 crew members, crashed shortly after Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport flew away from the International Airport on Thursday afternoon. Air India aircraft fell into the hostel of doctors near the circumference of the airport.
Ahmedabad Joint Commissioner of Police Jaipal Singh Rathore told reporters, “The aircraft crashed here after the flying and after the initial investigation we came to know that the aircraft collided with a building which is a hostel of doctors.”
A senior police officer said that one person is survived in a deadly accident of Air India aircraft. The aircraft collided with a nearby doctors hostel soon after flying from Ahmedabad Airport.
Talking to ANI over the phone, Ahmedabad Police Commissioner GS Malik said, “The police have found a person alive on seat 11A. He is in the hospital and is undergoing treatment. So far, nothing can be said about the death toll. The death toll can increase, as the aircraft crashed in the residential constituency.”
Air India confirmed late Thursday night that a total of 241 people including 12 crew members, including 12 crew members in flight number 171 of Air India, were killed in the Ahmedabad plane crash.
Air India posted on X, “The 12-year-old Boeing 787-8 aircraft left Ahmedabad at 1338 at 230 passengers and 12 crew members. The aircraft crashed soon after flying. We are saddened to say that 241 out of 242 people aboard the aircraft have been confirmed. The remaining person is undergoing treatment in the hospital.”
The aircraft was commanded by Captain Sumit Sabharwal and was accompanied by the first officer Clive Kunder. According to the ATC, the aircraft flew from Ahmedabad to 1339 IST (0809 UTC) from runway 23. It made a medium call to the ATC, but after that the aircraft did not respond to the call made by the ATC.
Soon after flying from runway 23, the aircraft fell to the ground outside the circumference of the airport. The official said that heavy black smoke was seen coming out of the accident site.
Meanwhile, the Gujarat government has sent three teams with 90 personnel of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to the accident site from Gandhinagar to assist in rescue operations. Ahmedabad City Police has released an emergency helpline number for the assistance and information related to the accident.
Ahmedabad Police said in a post on X, “Police emergency services related to Ahmedabad aircraft accident and necessary information are Ahmedabad City Police Emergency Number 07925620359.”