Following the tragic Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad on Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the city on Friday to assess the situation and meet with those affected. The crash, involving a London-bound Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner shortly after takeoff, claimed the lives of 241 people.

The Prime Minister began his visit by surveying the crash site. He was accompanied by Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu. Modi was briefed by state and civil aviation officials about the details of the incident and the ongoing relief and investigation efforts. The scene of devastation was described as saddening, with the Prime Minister acknowledging the tireless work of the teams involved in the aftermath.

Later, Modi visited the Ahmedabad Civil Hospital, where he met with the injured and Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, the lone survivor of the crash. Ramesh, a British national of Indian origin, was in seat 11A near an emergency exit and reportedly managed to jump out of the aircraft. The Prime Minister inquired about his condition and wished him a speedy recovery.

During his interaction with the media from his hospital bed, Ramesh recounted the horror of the crash, stating that there were bodies all around him and he was scared. He managed to stand up and run amidst the wreckage, and was then taken to the hospital by ambulance.

The Air India flight AI-171, bound for London's Gatwick Airport, crashed into a residential complex near B J Medical College immediately after taking off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. Among the passengers were 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese nationals, and one Canadian national. Former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani was also among those who died in the crash.

The impact of the crash was severe, affecting not only the passengers and crew but also people on the ground. Several MBBS students residing in the hostel near the crash site were among those killed.

The Prime Minister expressed his condolences to the bereaved families, acknowledging the unimaginable tragedy and the void left behind by the sudden loss of lives. He affirmed that the government stands with them in this difficult time.

In response to the disaster, a formal investigation has been launched by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) to determine the cause of the crash. The recovery of the black box is considered crucial for understanding the sequence of events that led to the tragedy.