Ahmedabad plane crash: Eerie quiet at Air India counters at London Gatwick Airport

Gatwick (London), June 12 (PTI) The Air India counters at London Gatwick Airport, where AI171 from Ahmedabad was due to land at 1825 local time on Thursday, was the scene of an eerie quiet as the world’s media gathered to cover the tragic plane crash in India.

Camera crews from leading news outlets in the UK as well as Portugal and Canada, nationals of which countries were among the 242 passengers and crew on board the flight, were joined by several others to capture the scene at the UK’s second busiest international airport after Heathrow.

Travellers could be seen rushing about in the usual hustle and bustle of a busy airport terminal, with reporters restricted to a designated area of the North Terminal. Meanwhile, the Air India check-in desks at the South Terminal remained empty with monitors flashing that a Goa-bound flight had been cancelled.

“We are very saddened to hear about today’s accident involving Air India flight AI171 and our thoughts are with the family and friends of those on board,” said Stewart Wingate, Chief Executive of London Gatwick.

“London Gatwick is liaising closely with Air India and a reception centre for relatives of those on board is being set up where information and support will be provided,” he stated.

The reception centre is located at the South Terminal, with airport sources indicating a trickle of concerned family and friends of the 53 British nationals on board AI171 making their way to the restricted zone to log passenger details in the hope of gathering more information.

Most passengers at the airport could be seen going about their journeys, with some stopping to review the large media presence.

“Oh, is this due to the crash in India? How tragic,” said one passenger, who was on his way to Madrid, Spain.

The Ahmedabad-Gatwick route is a hugely popular one, especially among the British Gujarati diaspora, with the airport in Sussex near London operating five departures per week to Gujarat.

Some information around the UK-based victims of the crash is beginning to emerge, with the Gloucester Muslim Community issuing a statement on Facebook to confirm the death of the Nanabawa family from Gloucester.

“Sincere and deepest condolences to the Nanabawa family upon receiving the tragic news of the passing of Brother Akeel Nanabawa, his wife Hannaa and their beloved daughter Sara,” reads the statement.

“We kindly ask that the family's wishes be respected during this time of grief. Please allow them the space to come to terms with their loss,” it adds. PTI AK SCY SCY