International Mourning: London and India Unite in Remembrance of Ahmedabad Air India Crash

The Indian community in London united to pay respects to those who lost their lives in the Air India plane crash that occurred in Ahmedabad. A tribute was held outside the Indian High Commission, where the community laid floral tributes. Kunal, a member of the Indian diaspora, originally from Gujarat, shared his grief and offered prayers for the deceased. Simultaneously, across India, various communities also came together to honor the victims. In Haridwar, Uttarakhand, prayers were offered on the banks of the Ganga River. In Tamil Nadu, the Rameswaram People’s Protection Council paid their respects at Agni Theertham beach. In Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, King George Medical University (KGMU) held a solemn condolence meeting. The tragic event involved Air India flight AI-171, a Boeing Dreamliner 787-8, which crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. The plane was destined for London’s Gatwick Airport. Only one person survived out of the 242 people on board. The aircraft departed from Ahmedabad at 1339 IST (0809 UTC) from runway 23, issuing a Mayday call before crashing outside the airport perimeter. The flight manifest showed that the aircraft carried 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese nationals, and one Canadian national.