British High Commission Opens Reception Centre Near Ahmedabad Airport For AI171 Crash Victims’ Kin

Ahmedabad: The British High Commission in India has set up a reception centre in the Ummed Hotel near Ahmedabad airport to provide support and advice for the families and friends of British nationals following the Air India plane crash in Gujarat.

According to the statement, the UK Reception Centre will remain open from 9 am to 9 pm every day, starting from today.

In a post on X, the British High Commission in India stated, "The UK has set up a Reception Centre in the Ummed Hotel to provide support and advice for the families and friends of British nationals following the plane crash on 12 June. The UK Reception Centre, near Ahmedabad airport, will be open from 0900 to 2100 every day, starting today."

The Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner from Ahmedabad to London with 242 passengers crashed in Meghaninagar area shortly after it took off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on Thursday.

Only one person out of the 242 people on board survived the crash. As per Air India, the passengers comprised 169 Indians, 53 British nationals, one Canadian and seven Portuguese nationals.

On Friday, British High Commissioner to India, Lindy Cameron, held a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and shared condolences over the plane crash near Ahmedabad Airport. She stated that the UK and India are working together to establish facts and expressed readiness to support the families and friends of impacted British nationals.

In a post on X, Cameron stated, "I met with Prime Minister @narendramodi this morning. We shared condolences in the face of this tragic accident, and I offered my thanks for the work of tireless first responders here in Ahmedabad. The UK and India are working together to establish the facts. We stand ready to support the families and friends of affected British Nationals - please consult our Travel Advice for updates and contact us on the 24/7 consular helpline."

As per ATC, the aircraft departed from Ahmedabad at 1:39 pm (IST) from runway 23. It gave a mayday Call to ATC, but thereafter, no response was given by the aircraft to the calls made by ATC.

Aircraft immediately after departure from Runway 23, fell on the ground outside the airport perimeter. Heavy black smoke was seen emanating from the accident site, said the official.

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