'Deeply shocked', 'anguished': Jaishankar, Rajnath on Ahmedabad plane crash

New Delhi, Jun 12 (PTI) External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday said he is "deeply shocked" to learn about the Air India flight that crashed minutes after taking off from the Ahmedabad airport.

The external affairs minister is currently on an official tour abroad.

"Deeply shocked to learn about the flight crash in Ahmedabad. Our prayers are with the passengers and their families," Jaishankar posted on X.

A London-bound Air India plane carrying 242 passengers and crew crashed in a crashed into residential quarters of BJ Medical College doctors in Ahmedabad's Meghaninagar area minutes after taking off from the airport on Thursday afternoon.

Air India has confirmed the death of 241 people in the plane crash. One passenger miraculously escaped.

The airlines said the flight from Ahmedabad to Gatwick had 169 Indians, 53 British, and one Canadian national on-board.

Defence Minster Rajnath Singh, in a post on X, said he was "deeply anguished" by the accident.

"My thoughts and prayers are with the families of the passengers and the crew," he said.

In another post, he remembered former Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani who also died in the crash.

"Deeply pained by the tragic demise of former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani ji in the unfortunate plane crash in Ahmedabad. He will be remembered as a grassroots leader who devoted his life for the development & welfare of his state. Condolences to his bereaved family. Om Shanti," Singh wrote.

Union Culture Minster Gajendra Singh Shekhawat also took to X to express shock over the crash. He also paid tribute to Rupani, saying his countless contributions will remain in memory. PTI KND SKY SKY