Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha expressed deep sorrow and conveyed his condolences on the tragic loss of life in the Air India flight AI-171 accident en route from Ahmedabad to London. He described the incident as a deeply heartbreaking event that has stunned the entire nation. The Deputy CM stated that the loss of so many innocent lives is incredibly painful and offered prayers for the departed souls and extended his deepest sympathies to their families. He noted that this is an irreparable loss for the whole country. He also highlighted the passing of former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, calling it a personal blow. Sinha mentioned Rupani was a close political associate and his dedication to work and commitment to the nation would always be inspiring. Sinha conveyed that the news of Rupani’s demise was a deep personal shock. He prayed to God to grant him a place in his divine abode and provide strength to the bereaved families to bear this sorrow.
The Air India aircraft, headed to London, crashed shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad airport. According to BJP leader C.R. Patil, former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani was among the deceased. The plane carried 242 people, including two pilots and a crew of 10. According to Air India, the 230 passengers included 169 Indians, 53 British citizens, one Canadian, and seven Portuguese citizens. The ATC in Ahmedabad reported that the pilot issued a ‘Mayday’ call shortly after takeoff at 1:39 PM. The search for the black box (flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder) is underway to determine the events leading up to the crash.
