Premier Modi visits deadly plane crash site in western India

By Anadolu staff

NEW DELHI (AA) – Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday visited the western state of Gujarat, where an Air India plane crashed a day earlier, killing nearly all 242 people on board.

Modi arrived in the city of Ahmedabad in the morning and visited the site of the crash, which occurred on Thursday, state broadcaster DD News reported.

He also met survivors who were injured when the plane crashed into a medical college hostel. Some students and local residents were among those killed and injured in the incident.

Modi had earlier said the crash was "heartbreaking beyond words," saying he was "stunned and saddened."

In a post on X after visiting the scene, Modi said the "devastation is saddening," adding that he met with officials "working tirelessly in the aftermath."

"Our thoughts remain with those who lost their loved ones in this unimaginable tragedy," he said.

The UK-bound Air India flight was carrying 230 passengers and 12 crew members, including two pilots. The carrier confirmed late Thursday night that there was only one survivor in the crash.

Among the passengers were 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian.

Police said they had recovered 265 bodies from the crash site, though the identities of local residents who died when the plane struck the hostel have yet to be confirmed.

Indian Home Minister Amit Shah, who visited the site on Thursday, told reporters that the official death toll would be released only after DNA testing is completed.

Rescue operations continued Friday morning. Authorities said further details would be shared once the search and recovery efforts are completed.

Hariom Gandhi, a senior official with the National Disaster Response Force, told reporters at the scene that operations were still underway in coordination with other agencies.

India's Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu said a formal investigation into the crash had been launched by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau.