Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], June 13 (ANI): Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader N Ramchander Rao on Friday called the Air India plane crash near Ahmedabad a 'tragic incident'. Rao expressed deep sorrow over the loss of 241 lives, with only one survivor.

Speaking to ANI, Ramchander Rao said, 'The crash of the Air India plane is a tragic incident, and today is a day of mourning. Nearly 241 passengers lost their lives, with only one survivor. Whatever the reason behind the crash, a full investigation must be carried out by the concerned authorities. The Bharatiya Janata Party prays for the souls of the deceased and extends its deepest condolences to their families. Some foreign nationals were also on board, and our prayers are with their families as well.'

He said the cause of the crash must be fully investigated and urged people not to jump to conclusions. He also offered prayers and condolences to the families of Indian and foreign nationals who died in the crash.

'This is a rare air crash in recent times that the Indian aviation has seen. Until now, there have only been minor technical issues, and flights were usually cancelled in time. But this flight crashed within a minute of takeoff, which is extremely serious and must be properly investigated. We urge everyone to wait for the official investigation before blaming anyone or any agency. Once again, the Bharatiya Janata Party offers heartfelt condolences to all the families affected by this terrible tragedy,' Rao said.

A total of 241 people onboard the Boeing 787-8, Air India flight 171, including 12 crew members, have died in the deadly Ahmedabad plane crash, Air India confirmed post-midnight on Friday.

The passenger plane crashed near Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Gujarat's Ahmedabad into a resident doctors' hostel building shortly after take-off on Thursday. Miraculously, one person has survived the deadly crash, the airline authorities said, adding that the survivor was a British national of Indian origin.

The flight, which was operating from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick on June 12, 2025, carried 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese nationals, and one Canadian national.

The aircraft was piloted by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, a Line Training Captain with 8,200 hours of flying experience, assisted by First Officer Clive Kundar, who had logged 1,100 flying hours.

According to Air Traffic Control (ATC), the aircraft departed from Ahmedabad at 1339 IST (0809 UTC) from runway 23. It made a Mayday call to ATC, but thereafter, the aircraft did not respond to the calls made by ATC.

Immediately after departing Runway 23, the aircraft fell on the ground outside the airport perimeter. An official stated that heavy black smoke was emanating from the accident site.

The Tata Group has announced a compensation of Rs 1 crore for the families of each person who lost their lives in the crash. (ANI)