British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Thursday confirmed that a UK investigation team has been dispatched to India to assist in the ongoing probe into the tragic crash of Air India Flight 171 near Ahmedabad. The flight, bound for London, crashed shortly after takeoff, killing most of the 242 passengers and crew members on board.
Speaking to the media, Starmer said, “The investigation is going on, we have dispatched an investigation team; that’s been deployed.” He noted that UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy is leading the coordination efforts from the British side, and urged those affected by the tragedy to reach out to the Foreign Office for support and further information. “We are working with the Indian authorities to establish the facts,” he said.
Starmer’s remarks came shortly after the UK’s Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) formally announced its involvement in the probe. The AAIB said it has offered its full assistance to India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB-India) and confirmed that it will have “expert status” in the Indian-led investigation, citing the presence of British nationals on board the flight.
In an official statement, the AAIB said, “The UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch has formally offered its assistance to the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, India. In addition, the UK AAIB will have expert status in the Indian safety investigation… because UK citizens were on board the aircraft. We are deploying a multidisciplinary investigation team to India to support the Indian-led investigation. Our thoughts are with all those affected by this tragic accident.”
Later in the evening, in a video message from 10 Downing Street, Prime Minister Starmer reiterated his deep sorrow over the incident. “The images and news from India are absolutely devastating and I speak for the entire country in saying that our thoughts are with each and every one of those involved. There will be British and Indian families across the land who are absolutely impacted, and our thoughts, first and foremost, are with them,” he said.
The crash of Air India Flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, occurred just minutes after it departed from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad. The aircraft went down in a residential area and burst into flames upon impact. Of the 242 people on board, 169 were Indian nationals, 53 were British, seven were Portuguese, one was Canadian, and 12 were members of the flight crew.
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