J-K CM Omar Abdullah calls Air India plane crash 'regrettable accident,' offers condolences

Speaking to mediapersons, Omar Abdullah said, "It was a regrettable accident. Right now, it is not even known whether anyone on the ground, or any doctor or student, was killed. I want to express my condolences to the families of all those passengers and the Air India crew on that plane. We hope that the reason behind this accident is revealed as soon as possible. We can only hope that such an accident does not happen again."

He also called for a quick investigation to determine the exact cause of the tragedy.

On Thursday, the Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, which was bound for London from Ahmedabad, crashed shortly after takeoff. There were 242 people on board - 230 passengers and 12 crew members.

Among the victims was former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani.

Of the passengers, 241 died in the crash. The lone survivor, identified as Vishwashkumar Ramesh, a British national of Indian origin, sustained injuries and is undergoing treatment.

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) on Friday confirmed the recovery of the Digital Flight Data Recorder (DFDR), commonly referred to as the black box, from the rooftop of a building at the site of the Air India Flight AI-171 crash in Ahmedabad.

The AAIB has launched a full-scale investigation into the crash, with over 40 staff from the Gujarat government joining efforts to support the Ministry of Civil Aviation teams on the ground.

The black box, a critical piece of evidence, will be analysed to determine the cause of the tragic crash.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the Ahmedabad Civil Hospital on Friday and met the survivor and other injured people.

Aircraft manufacturer Boeing also released a statement on X: "We are in contact with Air India regarding Flight 171 and stand ready to support them. Our thoughts are with the passengers, crew, first responders and all affected." (ANI)