logo
King Charles: 'Desperately shocked' by Air India crash

King Charles: 'Desperately shocked' by Air India crash

The flight was departing from Ahmedabad airport, and the plane was a Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft.
Gatwick Airport confirmed the plane travelling from Ahmedabad Airport was due to land at 6.25pm UK time.
A message from His Majesty The King following this morning's tragic incident in Ahmedabad. pic.twitter.com/H5zb6KlNnf — The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) June 12, 2025
King Charles: 'desperately shocked' by Air India Crash
In a post on X, the Royal Family said: "My wife and I have been desperately shocked by the terrible events in Ahmedabad this morning.
"Our special prayers and deepest possible sympathy are with the families and friends of all those affected by this appallingly tragic incident across so many nations, as they wait for news of their loved ones.
"I would like to pay a particular tribute to the heroic efforts of the emergency service and all those providing help and support at this most heartbreaking and traumatic time."
Prime Minister Keir Starmer previously shared a statement: "The scenes emerging of a London-bound plane carrying many British nationals crashing in the Indian city of Ahmedabad are devastating.
'I am being kept updated as the situation develops, and my thoughts are with the passengers and their families at this deeply distressing time.'
Recommended Reading
The Government previously said it would provide 'all the support that it can' to those on the Air India flight bound for Gatwick Airport, which crashed shortly after take off, Commons Leader Lucy Powell said.
In a statement on X, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said: '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.'

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Air India crash survivor's family can't fly to his bedside as flights cancelled
Air India crash survivor's family can't fly to his bedside as flights cancelled

Daily Mirror

time10 minutes ago

  • Daily Mirror

Air India crash survivor's family can't fly to his bedside as flights cancelled

Wounded Vishwash Kumar Ramesh was able to walk free from the wreckage of flight AI171 in Ahmedabad after his section of the aircraft survived relatively unscathed The sole survivor of the Air India tragedy had planned to celebrate his arrival in the UK with a family barbecue. Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, from London, miraculously escaped the horror crash in Ahmedabad, western India, on Thursday with his life intact. The 40-year-old has told how he walked from the plane after the middle section of the aircraft - where he was seated in seat 11A - was spared from the worst of the impact after the plane crashed down in the city shortly after takeoff, killing 241 passengers and crew and leaving his brother, Ajay Kumar Ramesh, missing. ‌ ‌ Missing Ajay was meant to return to the UK alongside Vishwash, with his cousin saying Brit-bound family members were looking forward to welcoming them. Hiren Kantilal, 19, told the Mirror they had a "party" planned in Leicester to welcome them, with "many" family members set to join a barbecue. But, while they are happy Vishwash has survived, the family has decided not to celebrate, with no news on Ajay more that 24 hours after the crash. He said: 'We had planned a party here in Leicester to welcome them, we were going to have a barbecue and many family would be here. Now when he arrives back in the UK there will be no celebration. "We're happy that Vishwash survived but unhappy that his brother is still missing. It's been 24 hours with no news. We are all heartbroken." ‌ With the celebration now cancelled, Vishwash's family continue to gather outside an address in Leicester, all scrambling to book flights to be by his bedside. Hiren added: 'We're trying to book 14 flights to India. We had flights booked with Air India but had a call at 6am this morning to say it had been cancelled.' ‌ Air India has cancelled more than a dozen planned flights this morning while continuing to pick up the pieces from Thursday's incident, with Israel's surprise raid on Iran forcing officials to rapidly change plans. The airline said in a statement earlier today that it regretted "the inconvenience", but that its hand was forced by the closure of Iranian airspace. An air India spokesperson said: "We regret the inconvenience caused to our passengers due to this unforeseen disruption and are making every effort to minimize it, including providing accommodation for passengers. "Refunds on cancellation or complimentary rescheduling is also being offered to guests who opt for it. Alternative arrangements are being made to fly passengers to their destinations."

Passenger on doomed Air India flight's earlier journey said nothing was working
Passenger on doomed Air India flight's earlier journey said nothing was working

Wales Online

time13 minutes ago

  • Wales Online

Passenger on doomed Air India flight's earlier journey said nothing was working

Passenger on doomed Air India flight's earlier journey said nothing was working Akash Vatsa said he had been on the same plane that crashed in Ahmedabad, India, on Friday, and had noticed a number of problems with the aircraft Parts of the Air India plane that crashed yesterday, strewn across the crash site (Image: AP ) A passenger, who had earlier flown on the same plane that crashed in western India, has come forward to report several issues with the aircraft. Akash Vatsa took to social media to recount his experience on the Air India flight from Delhi to Ahmedabad, just two hours before the same aircraft was scheduled to depart for London Gatwick from Ahmedabad. During his flight, he said he "noticed unusual things in the plane" which was Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner. He captured his observations in a video, which he shared with Air India, requesting that they get in touch with him for further information. ‌ Boeing India, alongside various media outlets, were also tagged in the post. ‌ Content cannot be displayed without consent According to Vatsa's account, the air conditioning system was not working, forcing numerous passengers to improvise by using in-flight magazines as makeshift fans, reports the Mirror. The passenger then turned the camera on himself, visibly sweating, before highlighting another issue: "As usual, your TV screens are also not working." Read the biggest stories in Wales first by signing up to our daily newsletter here Article continues below He continued his critique, pointing out that "nothing is working, not even the light is working" and posed a question to Air India: "Is this what you are providing?". Flight Radar data revealed that the flight touched down in Ahmedabad at 11:16am local time. The same Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner subsequently took off from Ahmedabad at 1:38 pm local time (9:08 am BST), bound for London Gatwick Airport. Tragically, mere minutes after lifting off, the plane met with disaster, plummeting into a residential area. ‌ The aircraft was carrying 242 individuals which included 53 British citizens, 169 from India, along with seven Portuguese nationals and one Canadian. After initial reports indicated a total loss of life, when to the city's head of police spoke to the news agency AP, there was a glimmer of hope when Ahmedabad Police Commissioner GS Malik disclosed to ANI that one person miraculously survived. The distressing incident was captured on video, revealing the moment the plane struck a facility used by medical students for dining before being engulfed in flame and thick black smoke. ‌ Responding to the calamity, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his profound shock and sorrow: "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." Similarly, Britain's Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, released a heartfelt statement, declaring: "The scenes emerging of a London-bound plane carrying many British nationals crashing in the Indian city of Ahmedabad are devastating." ‌ He continued: "I am being kept updated as the situation develops, and my thoughts are with the passengers and their families at this deeply distressing time." Mathrubhumi News, an Indian media outlet, reported that Air India's flight AI-171 was grounded in December 2024 due to a "major technical snag". The incident led to scrutiny over "maintenance lapses and flight safety procedures" as per the outlet, yet the aircraft was subsequently given the all-clear to resume flying, according to the Express. In the aftermath of the crash, Air India announced that those injured were being transported to hospital and established a dedicated passenger hotline number 1800 5691 444 for further information. An additional contact number +91 8062779200 was also made available for international callers. ‌ The carrier stated it was providing "its full cooperation to the authorities investigating this incident". Several hours following the accident, Campbell Wilson, CEO of Air India, issued a video statement on social media platforms. He conveyed the airline's "deep sorrow" regarding the tragic event and emphasised that their focus would be "entirely on the needs of our passengers, crew members, their families, and loved ones". ‌ Wilson acknowledged the presence of "many questions" surrounding the incident but stated he would "not be able to answer all of them". He added: "We are actively working with the authorities on all emergency response efforts." In a communication to the Mirror, Air India stated: "We would like to inform you that Air India is closely coordinating with all relevant authorities, and any verified updates or official statements will be shared through our official communication channels." Article continues below It further stated: "We remain committed to transparency and will continue to share updates as appropriate."

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store