World Desk

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer expressed deep sorrow over the tragic crash of a London-bound Air India passenger plane in the Indian city of Ahmedabad, which was carrying 53 British nationals.

“The scenes emerging of a London-bound plane carrying many British nationals crashing in the Indian city of Ahmedabad are devastating,” Starmer said in a statement on Thursday.

Modi called the crash “heartbreaking beyond words.”

“In this sad hour, my thoughts are with everyone affected,” he said in a social media post.

Black smoke were seen billowed from the site where the plane went down in a populated area near the airport in Ahmedabad, a city of more than five million and the capital of Gujarat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's home state.

Additionally, Cabinet Minister Lucy Powell told the House of Commons that the UK government would provide all necessary support to those affected by the crash.

“This is an unfolding story, and it will undoubtedly be causing a huge amount of worry and concern to the many, many families and communities here and those waiting for the arrival of their loved ones,” she said.

“We send our deepest sympathy and thoughts to all those families, and the government will provide all the support that it can with those in India and those in this country as well,” she added.

After the crash, firefighters doused the smoking wreckage of the plane, which would have been fully loaded with fuel shortly after takeoff, and adjacent multistory buildings with water. Many charred bodies lay on the ground and one was carried away on a stretcher by first responders.

Officials in India confirmed there were no known survivors from the crash, which occurred shortly after takeoff. The plane, carrying over 240 people, went down in a populated area near Ahmedabad airport, sending thick black smoke into the sky.

“It appears there are no survivors in the plane crash,” Police Commissioner G.S. Malik said, reports AP.

“As the plane has fallen in a residential area which also had offices, some locals would have also died,” he added. "Exact figures on casualties are being ascertained.”

Britain shares close ties with India, home to nearly 1.9 million people of Indian descent, according to the UK’s 2021 census.

The crash comes just days before the Paris Air Show, a major aviation industry event. It also adds to ongoing scrutiny of Boeing aircraft following previous deadly incidents involving the Boeing 737 Max model.