On Thursday, President Bola Tinubu joined King Charles III, Queen Camilla, and other world leaders in expressing condolences to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi following a devastating plane crash that claimed over 200 lives.
The tragic incident involved a London-bound Air India flight, carrying 242 people, which crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. The aircraft, reportedly a Boeing jet, lost contact with flight tracking systems at an altitude of just 625 feet before plummeting into a nearby residential area.
The crash caused extensive destruction, particularly to a building housing medical professionals and their families. According to AFP, only one person aboard the plane is confirmed to have survived. The rest of the passengers — including 169 Indian nationals, 53 Britons, seven Portuguese citizens, and one Canadian — are presumed dead, as reported by the BBC.
Emergency responders continue to search the wreckage, although hopes of finding further survivors remain slim. Ahmedabad’s police chief, GS Malik, confirmed that residents on the ground were also killed when the aircraft struck the doctors’ hostel, partially collapsing the building.
The Federation of All India Medical Association reported that between 50 and 60 medical students were hospitalized, with at least two in critical condition and five still missing. Many of the plane’s victims were declared dead on arrival at local hospitals.
Graphic footage from the crash site shows debris scattered across the street, thick smoke billowing into the air, and fire crews battling the resulting blazes. One woman recounted how her son survived by leaping from a second-floor window of the hostel moments before the aircraft hit.
As rescue efforts continue, families anxiously wait for updates amid the widespread grief and devastation.
