New Delhi, Jun 13: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who visited the site of the Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crash and met with the injured at a hospital in Ahmedabad on Friday, stated that the loss of so many lives in such a heartbreaking manner was beyond words.

The crash, one of the worst air disasters in recent times, claimed the lives of 241 people and many others on the ground where the ill-fated plane crashed on Thursday.

“We are all devastated by the air tragedy in Ahmedabad. The loss of so many lives in such a sudden and heartbreaking manner is beyond words. Condolences to all the bereaved families. We understand their pain and also know that the void left behind will be felt for years to come. Om Shanti,” PM Modi wrote on his X handle after his visits to the crash site and the hospital.

Earlier in the day, he arrived at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Airport and drove straight to the crash site in the Meghaninagar area. He was accompanied by Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu and Union Minister C.R. Paatil.

After visiting the site, PM Modi said the scene was devastating. He was briefed by the officials at the crash site.

“Visited the crash site in Ahmedabad today. The scene of devastation is saddening. Met officials and teams working tirelessly in the aftermath. Our thoughts remain with those who lost their loved ones in this unimaginable tragedy,” the PM wrote on X.

From the crash site, PM Modi went to the Ahmedabad Civil Hospital, where he met those injured in the Air India plane crash. He met the lone survivor of the crash -- Indian-origin British national Vishwash Kumar Ramesh -- at the hospital.

The PM also met those who were injured when the plane fell on a hostel building.

An Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner carrying 242 people crashed immediately after take-off from Ahmedabad airport on Thursday afternoon.

The aircraft, operating as Flight AI-171 from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, plunged into a residential complex near BJ Medical College, killing 241 people on board.

There were 230 passengers, 10 crew members and two pilots on the flight. One person -- the passenger of seat No. 11A -- survived the crash, officials said.

The Prime Minister, who served as Gujarat's Chief Minister for 12 years, had expressed his grief on his X handle on Thursday. “The tragedy in Ahmedabad has stunned and saddened us. It is heartbreaking beyond words. In this sad hour, my thoughts are with everyone affected by it. Have been in touch with Ministers and authorities who are working to assist those affected.”

The crash is being described as one of the worst aviation disasters in Indian history. The government has launched a comprehensive investigation into the tragedy. A team of forensic experts arrived at the crash site to investigate and collect evidence as part of the ongoing probe.

Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu, who rushed to the crash site from Vijayawada on Thursday, said the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has been tasked with leading the inquiry.

(IANS)

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