New Delhi, Jun 13: Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Ahmedabad on Friday to visit the Air India plane crash site.

An Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner carrying 242 people crashed immediately after take-off from Ahmedabad airport on Thursday afternoon.

The aircraft, operating as Flight AI-171 from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, plunged into a residential complex near BJ Medical College, killing 241 people on board.

There were 230 passengers, 10 crew members and two pilots on the flight.

One person -- the passenger of seat No. 11A -- survived the crash, officials said. According to officials, the person is a British national of Indian origin who was seated in 11A and is currently undergoing treatment at a local hospital.

The Prime Minister, who served as Gujarat's Chief Minister for 12 years, had expressed his grief on his X handle on Thursday. “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.”

The crash is being described as one of the worst aviation disasters in Indian history.

The government has launched a comprehensive investigation into the tragedy. Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu, who rushed to the crash site from Vijayawada on Thursday, confirmed that the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has been tasked with leading the inquiry.

“Following the tragic incident in Ahmedabad, a formal investigation has been initiated by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), in line with international protocols set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). Additionally, the Government is constituting a high-level committee comprising experts from multiple disciplines to examine the matter in detail. The committee will work to strengthen aviation safety and prevent such incidents in future," the Minister announced on his X handle.

The AAIB, functioning under the Ministry of Civil Aviation, is India’s designated authority for probing serious aviation incidents and operates in accordance with global standards laid down by the International Civil Aviation Organisation.

The ill-fated Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner had issued a distress call moments before losing altitude, and investigators are now focused on the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder -- commonly known as black boxes -- to reconstruct the final moments of the flight.

Minister Naidu emphasised that the government is not limiting its response to routine procedures. A multidisciplinary high-level committee is being constituted to examine the broader implications of the crash. This panel will include aviation safety experts, engineers, air traffic control specialists, and representatives from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation.

(IANS)

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