US President Donald Trump on Thursday referred to the Air India Flight AI-171 tragedy near Ahmedabad as a tragic incident and one of the worst aviation accidents in history. He also promised that the United States is prepared to provide any support necessary in the aftermath.
"The plane crash was horrible, I have informed them. anything we can do. it's a powerful country, strong country, they will take care of it, I am sure but I have informed them. anything we can do, we will be there immediately. It was a terrible crash. We saw the plane, it was flying very well. just appeared like the engines might have lost power, that's a terrible crash, one of the worst in the history of aviation," President Trump stated.
The plane, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, had taken off from Ahmedabad with 242 individuals aboard and was destined for Gatwick Airport in London before it crashed into a hostel occupied by medical interns just minutes after takeoff.
Air India Managing Director and CEO Campbell Wilson issued a video message on Thursday, conveying deep shock at the accident and referring to it as a "tough day" for the national carrier.
This is a challenging day for everyone at Air India. Our work is now all about the requirements of our passengers, crew, their loved ones and family members," Wilson said in the social media post on X.
He said that local emergency services quickly evacuated the injured to nearby hospitals and that the airline is cooperating with the responding agencies on the ground.
"We are cooperating with the authorities on all emergency response activities," he said. "A special team of caregivers from Air India is en route to Ahmedabad to offer more assistance."
In response to the tragic crash, Air India has also launched a special helpline for friends and relatives looking for information on their loved ones.
"We understand that lots of people will be worried about the well-being of their loved ones. We have established a special helpline that people can contact us on," said Wilson.
Highlighting the importance of responsible reporting, he asked the public and media to use only authentic updates.
"Whatever we report should be fact and not speculation. We owe that to all concerned," he further added.
Though an official investigation into the accident's cause is on, Wilson said that a comprehensive probe would take time. Meanwhile, the airline's priority remains obvious.
"Passengers, crew and their families are being assisted around the clock by our teams, along with investigators," he added.
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