In the civil hospital of Ahmedabad, PM spoke to the survivor, Mr Ramesh who is undergoing treatment for injuries he sustained during the crash
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday held a review meeting with top officials of the Gujarat government after visiting the site of the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad. The PM, who reached the city on Friday morning, also visited the civil hospital to check on the sole survivor of the crash and others who got injured after the plane fell on a hospital building. The survivor, Vishwas Kumar Ramesh, a British citizen, said he used the space created at the Exit Gate due to crash impact, to escape.
“Visited the crash site in Ahmedabad today. The scene of devastation is saddening. Met officials and teams working tirelessly in the aftermath. Our thoughts remain with those who lost their loved ones in this unimaginable tragedy...We are all devastated by the air tragedy in Ahmedabad. The loss of so many lives in such a sudden and heartbreaking manner is beyond words. Condolences to all the bereaved families. We understand their pain and also know that the void left behind will be felt for years to come,” PM wrote on X.
During the meeting, PM Modi was briefed about the series of events that unfolded after the plane crash in which 265 people lost their lives on Thursday. Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Union Jal Shakti Minister and Gujarat BJP chief C R Paatil, and Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu attended the meeting.
In the civil hospital of Ahmedabad, PM spoke to the survivor, Mr Ramesh who is undergoing treatment for injuries he sustained during the crash. “It all happened in front of my eyes. I cannot believe how I survived...For a brief moment, I felt I was about to die but when my eyes opened, I was alive. I unbuckled myself from the seat and exited from an opening," he recalled.
"Though I managed to escape, my left hand got burnt as the plane caught fire after the crash. I walked out of the aircraft and then an ambulance brought me to hospital. I am getting proper treatment here," he said. After the crash Mr Ramesh was seen walking towards the ambulance after getting hurt in the crash.
Meanwhile, External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar said he is in touch with the foreign secretaries of the United Kingdom, Portugal, and Canada. The EAM thanked all foreign leaders and governments for their condolences at the tragic accident. The British High Commission in India has said it is working with local authorities to urgently establish facts about the plane crash.
British High Commissioner to India Lindy Cameron met PM Modi in Ahmedabad on Friday. She said her team visited the crash site and the hospital and the HC team is working constantly to gather information and support British nationals affected.
"I met with Prime Minister @narendramodi this morning. We shared condolences in the face of this tragic accident, and I offered my thanks for the work of tireless first responders here in Ahmedabad. The UK and India are working together to establish the facts," Cameron said in the post on X.
