Ahmedabad: Union Home Minister Amit Shah arrived at the site of the Air India plane crash on Thursday evening to assess the situation, accompanied by Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol, and Gujarat Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi.
Home Minister reviewed ongoing rescue operations at the crash site where Air India Flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 carrying 242 passengers and crew bound for London Gatwick, went down shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad on Thursday afternoon.
Former CM Among Casualties
Union Minister and Gujarat BJP president CR Patil confirmed the death of former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani in the tragedy. "Our leader, former Chief Minister Vijaybhai Rupani, was travelling on this flight to visit his family. He too perished in this tragedy. May God grant peace to his soul," Patil told reporters.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to arrive in Ahmedabad shortly to take stock of the situation.
Rescue Operations Underway
Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu stated that multiple agencies including the DGCA, AAI, Air India, NDRF, and local administration are coordinating relief efforts.
"Just visited the crash site in Ahmedabad. What I witnessed was deeply distressing. I'm on the ground, closely reviewing rescue and relief operations," Naidu posted on X.
In a grim update, Ahmedabad Police Commissioner confirmed only one survivor has been found so far from the wreckage.
