PM Modi Condoles Vijay Rupani’s Death in Ahmedabad Plane Crash, Calls It ‘Unimaginable’
In a tragic turn of events, former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani was among the 241 people killed in the Air India Flight AI171 crash that occurred minutes after takeoff from Ahmedabad on Thursday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who flew to the city on Friday to take stock of the situation, met Rupani’s family and paid his last respects.
The London-bound Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed into the residential quarters of BJ Medical College shortly after taking off at around 1:30 PM, igniting a massive fire and killing nearly everyone on board. The flight carried 232 passengers and 10 crew members, including Rupani, who was listed as a Business Class passenger under seat class Z.
PM Modi expressed his deep sorrow, calling the loss “unimaginable.” In a heartfelt post on X, he said, “Vijaybhai and I worked shoulder to shoulder during some of the most challenging times. He was humble, hardworking, and deeply committed to the Party’s ideology.”
Rupani served as Gujarat’s Chief Minister from 2016 to 2021 and held several key positions, including as Rajya Sabha MP and Gujarat BJP President. PM Modi said Rupani played a pivotal role in enhancing Gujarat’s development and ease of living.
This incident marks the second time a former Gujarat CM has died in an air crash, the first being Balwantrai Mehta in 1965.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) confirmed that the aircraft made a mayday call moments before the crash. The flight, piloted by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal and First Officer Clive Kundar, went down in the Meghaninagar area, hitting a mess block at BJ Medical College, resulting in additional fatalities on the ground.
Police officials reported that 265 bodies had been recovered and brought to hospitals. Air India initially confirmed 241 fatalities in a post at 12:41 AM on Friday. One passenger, identified as Indian-origin British national Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, survived the crash. He was traveling with his brother, who perished in the incident.
The aircraft had passengers from several nationalities, including 169 Indians, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian.
Eyewitnesses described scenes of chaos and devastation, with plumes of thick black smoke and emergency teams rushing to the site. Operations at Ahmedabad Airport were briefly halted, and aviation authorities have launched a high-level probe into the cause of the crash.
The Prime Minister also met emergency responders and officials involved in relief operations. Flags were flown at half-mast across Gujarat on Friday, and a state mourning was declared.
The crash is among the deadliest in India’s aviation history, raising serious questions about air safety protocols and aircraft maintenance.
