President Bio Extends Condolences to India After Plane Crash Kills Over 240

Sierra Leone’s President, Julius Maada Bio, has extended his condolences to the government and people of India following a fatal plane crash in Ahmedabad.

The crash, which happened shortly after takeoff, is reported to have claimed the lives of more than 240 people.

President Bio, in a message shared on his official Facebook page, said he was deeply saddened by the news. He expressed sympathy to the grieving families and shared that Sierra Leone stands with India during this difficult time.

The incident involved Air India flight AI171, which was flying from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick. According to reports, the plane went down just five minutes after takeoff, at around 1:38 p.m. local time.

Officials confirmed that there were 232 passengers and 12 crew members onboard. The aircraft crashed into a residential area called Meghani Nagar, just outside the Ahmedabad airport.

Footage shared on social media showed large plumes of smoke rising near the airport. Emergency teams were seen carrying injured passengers on stretchers and transporting them by ambulance.

The Director General of the Directorate of Civil Aviation, Faiz Ahmed Kidwai, told the Associated Press that the crash happened outside the airport’s perimeter in a civilian area.

Air India confirmed that the flight had been involved in an incident but said details were still being gathered.

As India begins to come to terms with the scale of this tragedy, President Bio’s message stands as a show of support from Sierra Leone, offering comfort to a nation in mourning.