Ahmedabad crash: In touch with UK foreign secretary, Portuguese, Canadian counterparts, says EAM
New Delhi, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday said he was in touch with British Foreign Secretary David Lammy and also with his Canadian and Portuguese counterparts in connection with the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad.
Besides 169 Indians, 53 British, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian national were on board the flight that crashed on Thursday.
Air India has confirmed that 241 people on board were killed in the crash. One person has survived and is currently undergoing treatment for injuries sustained during the accident.
"In touch with FS @DavidLammy of the UK, FM @PauloRangel_pt of Portugal and FM @AnitaAnandMP of Canada regarding the Ahmedabad plane crash. Expressed our profound condolences and offered fullest support in this hour of grief," Jaishankar said in a post on X.
At least 265 people were killed on Thursday when the London-bound Air India plane crashed into a medical college complex in Ahmedabad and burst into a ball of fire less than a minute after takeoff, an official said.
The dead in the country's worst air disaster in recent times included several people on the ground.
The external affairs minister was in Europe on an official visit when the tragedy struck the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner.
Later, Lammy, reposting Jaishankar's post, said, "The devastating plane crash in Ahmedabad has impacted both British and Indian families. I've spoken with @DrSJaishankar to express my profound condolences. As one of our closest partners, the UK stands ready to provide any assistance India may need during this difficult time."
Earlier in the day, Jaishankar addressed a joint press conference in Marseille with his French counterpart Jean-Noël Barrot.
On a query on the Air India plane crash on Thursday, he said, "It's been really a very tragic event, and I have been in the last 24 hours, in touch with my counterparts in the UK, Portugal and Canada because they also lost their citizens."
"We again appreciate very much the condolences, sympathy and support we got from the French government, and I think we will have to wait to see more authoritative news about whatever has been found and what the analysis shows," he said.
Jaishankar on Friday also thanked all foreign leaders and governments for their condolences at the tragic loss of lives in the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad.
The plane carrying 242 passengers and crew crashed minutes after taking off from the Ahmedabad airport on Thursday afternoon.
"Thank all foreign leaders and Governments for their condolences at the tragic loss of lives in the Ahmedabad air crash. We appreciate this deeply," Jaishankar said in a post on X.
The external affairs minister was in Europe on an official visit when the tragedy struck the plane bound for London.
A number of world leaders and embassies of various countries in India have expressed condolences to the families who have lost their loved ones.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu were among the world leaders who on Thursday expressed solidarity with the people of India in the wake of the plane crash.
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