Thiruvananthapuram, Jun 12 (PTI) Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday termed as "shocking and heartbreaking" the tragic plane crash of a London-bound Air India flight near the Ahmedabad airport.
Vijayan also said that all but one of the 242 passengers-cum-crew aboard the flight and some students at the medical college hostel, where the plane crashed, died in the incident.
He, in a Facebook post, further said that the death of former Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani adds depth to the tragedy.
The CM also said that the incident was even more painful for Keralites as Ranjitha Gopakumar, a native of Thiruvalla in Pathanamthitta and a nurse, was among the dead.
"We share in the grief of those who lost their loved ones in the plane crash," he said in the post.
Earlier in the day, in a post on social media platform X, Vijayan said, "Deeply saddened by the tragic plane crash near the Ahmedabad airport. Our thoughts are with the victims and their families. The Government of Kerala stands with all those affected during this time of sorrow."
State Health Minister Veena George also condoled the death of Ranjitha Gopakumar and all the others who died in the plane crash.
The London-bound ill-fated plane carrying 242 passengers and crew crashed minutes after taking off from the Ahmedabad airport on Thursday afternoon.
According to Air India, the flight from Ahmedabad to Gatwick had 169 Indians, 53 British, and one Canadian national on board.