School students across the state on Friday paid tribute to the victims of the Ahmedabad plane crash. The Air India Flight 171 incident claimed 241 lives, with just one lone survivor, making it one of the deadliest in Indian civil aviation history.
With this incident that shook the entire nation, people all over the country are mourning the tragic loss, with tribute gatherings and condolence meetings taking place across the country. Joining the mourning is the Mukhyamantri Utkrisht Vidyalaya (Government Middle School), Bariyatu, Jharkhand. Students, teachers, and other staff from the school gathered and expressed their condolences for the lives lost in the tragic incident.
The principal of the school said, "This accident is a deep shock not only for the families of the deceased, but for the entire country. Our prayers are with the affected families." The students also said that this is the first time they have seen such a big tragedy and they pray to God that such a day should not come in the future.
An Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner carrying 242 passengers crashed minutes after taking off from the Ahmedabad airport this afternoon. The airline, in a statement, said flight AI 171, operating from Ahmedabad to London was "involved in an incident". The plane crashed into a hostel for doctors of a medical college at 1:30 pm, officials said. At least one passenger has survived the crash.
According to officials, the pilot sent a mayday call, and then there was no response after that to repeated calls from the air traffic controller. Visuals from the crash site showed a thick plume of grey smoke rising from the ground. At least two dozen ambulances have arrived, and some have taken the injured people to a nearby hospital. The police have diverted traffic from the area.
On Thursday, Jharkhand Governor Santosh Gangwar, CM Hemant Soren, Union Minister Annapurna Devi and other leaders expressed grief over the plane crash in Ahmedabad.
Governor Santosh Gangwar posted on social media and wrote, "The news of the horrific plane crash in Ahmedabad, Gujarat is extremely sad and heartbreaking. I express my deepest condolences to the families of the deceased and pray to God to give them the strength to bear this grief. In this difficult time, we are all with the bereaved families and wish for the speedy recovery of the injured."
At the same time, CM Hemant Soren also expressed grief over the accident. He wrote, "I am shocked by the extremely heartbreaking incident of the plane crash in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. My deepest condolences to the people who died in the accident and their families. May Marang Buru protect everyone."