Ahmedabad: Following the tragic crash of an Air India flight in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, which was en route to London, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer expressed his deep sorrow and described the incident as “devastating.” In a post on social media platform X, he stated that he is receiving regular updates on the situation and extended his condolences to the families affected.

“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,” Starmer wrote.

Furthermore, Buckingham Palace confirmed that King Charles III has been kept informed of the crash and its aftermath. He is also likely to make a statement later today.

The Air India flight, numbered AI171, had taken off from Ahmedabad and was headed to Gatwick Airport in London when it crashed in the Meghaninagar area of the city on Thursday afternoon.

According to Air India, the flight was carrying 242 people, including 53 British nationals. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) confirmed that the pilots had issued a “Mayday” distress call shortly after takeoff, indicating a life-threatening emergency, just minutes before the crash. DeshGujarat