Karnataka Dy CM DK Shivakumar visits Air India plane crash site, calls tragedy 'heartbreaking'
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday visited the site of the devastating Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad's Meghaninagar locality. The crash, which occurred on June 12, claimed the lives of 260 people, leaving the nation in shock.
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Describing the scene as deeply distressing, Shivakumar expressed his sorrow over the magnitude of the loss. 'Heartbreaking scenes,' he posted on social media platform X after visiting the crash site. 'My heartfelt condolences go out to the families of all the victims — those on board the aircraft and the innocent people on the ground, including young medical students. The scale of this tragedy is profound, and the nation stands united in grief.'
Several senior Congress leaders accompanied Shivakumar and Kharge during the visit to the accident site, where an Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner (AI 171) crashed into a medical students' hostel building shortly after taking off from the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport.
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The ill-fated flight was carrying 242 passengers and crew, of whom 241 lost their lives. The impact also claimed the lives of several medical students and staff who were inside the hostel at the time.
According to officials quoted by PTI, the aircraft had passed its comprehensive maintenance inspection in June 2023 and was due for its next major check in December this year. Investigations are ongoing to determine what caused the fatal mishap just moments after takeoff.
In a bid to provide immediate relief, Air India announced an interim compensation of ₹25 lakh for the families of the deceased, in addition to the ₹1 crore payout already pledged by parent company Tata Sons. Authorities have assured that full support will be extended to the victims' families, while a detailed probe continues to uncover the circumstances behind the tragic incident.
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