Assahafa.com
“I have learned with deep affliction the news of the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad, which has caused numerous victims,” King Mohammed VI stated in his message to Indian President Droupadi Murmu following Thursday’s tragic aviation disaster.
“In this painful circumstance, I express my sincere condolences and feelings of solidarity and compassion to President Murmu, the grieving families, and the friendly Indian people, wishing them patience and comfort,” the Moroccan monarch added in his official message of sympathy.
The fatal incident occurred when an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed shortly after takeoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad, western Gujarat state. The plane was bound for London Gatwick Airport with 242 people on board.
According to aviation authorities, the aircraft began losing altitude after reaching only 650 feet. The pilots issued a “mayday” call at 1:39 p.m. local time but did not respond to subsequent communication attempts from air traffic controllers.
CCTV footage captured the 59-second sequence of the disaster. The video shows the aircraft taking off, gaining some altitude, flying flat for seconds, then beginning to descend with its tail down approximately 17 seconds after takeoff. The plane crashed about 33 seconds after wheels-up, erupting into a massive fireball.
The aircraft struck the B.J. Medical College hostel near the airport. The impact caused extensive damage, with parts of the fuselage scattered across the complex and the aircraft’s tail lodged in the building’s roof.
The death toll has reached at least 270, including 241 people on the plane and multiple victims on the ground. Among the deceased was Vijay Rupani, Gujarat’s former chief minister. The passengers included 169 Indian nationals, 53 Britons, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian.
‘When I opened my eyes, I realized I was alive’
Remarkably, there was one survivor from the flight: Viswashkumar Ramesh. He told India’s national broadcaster that the aircraft seemed unable to gain height after takeoff, and he miraculously managed to escape after his section of the plane crashed onto a building’s ground floor, creating space for him to exit after unfastening his seatbelt.
“When I opened my eyes, I realized I was alive,” Ramesh said. He was later visited by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the hospital where he is being treated for burns and injuries.
Search and rescue
Rescue and investigation efforts began immediately. The National Disaster Response Force deployed seven teams to the crash site and has recovered 81 bodies so far. Investigators found one of the two black boxes—the digital flight data recorder—on the rooftop of the building where the jet crashed. The search continues for the cockpit voice recorder.
India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau has launched a full investigation. Authorities are examining several potential causes, including issues related to engine thrust, operational problems with the flaps, and why the landing gear remained open after takeoff. Anti-terror squads are also participating in the investigation.
Indian aviation regulators have ordered additional maintenance checks on Air India’s Boeing 787-8/9 aircraft equipped with GEnx engines. These include a “one-time check” of takeoff parameters before each flight departure starting from midnight on June 15.
This disaster marks the first deadly accident involving a Boeing 787 Dreamliner since the aircraft entered commercial service in 2011. Boeing has stated it is ready to send experts to assist in the investigation.
Prime Minister Modi visited the crash site in Gujarat, his home state, on Friday. “The scene of devastation is saddening,” he posted on social media after meeting with rescue officials and some of the injured in the hospital.
Meanwhile, grieving families gathered outside the Civil Hospital in Ahmedabad, where medical staff are conducting DNA tests to identify victims. The hospital has received at least 30 injured students, with four in critical condition.
Source: Morocco word news
