World leaders react to Air India plane crash: 'Stunned and saddened'

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World leaders are reacting on social media to the fatal Air India plane crash that killed more than 100 people on Thursday.

"The tragedy in Ahmedabad has stunned and saddened us," India Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in an X post on Thursday. "It is heartbreaking beyond words. In this sad hour, my thoughts are with everyone affected by it. Have been in touch with Ministers and authorities who are working to assist those affected."

An Air India plane, flight AI171, with more than 200 people onboard, crashed minutes after taking off from Ahmedabad, India on Thursday, June 12. Early reports suggested the plane crashed into a doctors' hostel in Ahmedabad.

Air India plane crash: What we know so far about passengers, where they were going

British PM Keir Starmer

"The scenes emerging of a London-bound plane carrying many British nationals crashing in the Indian city of Ahmedabad are devastating," British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in an X post on Thursday. "I am being kept updated as the situation develops, and my thoughts are with the passengers and their families at this deeply distressing time."

King Charles III

King Charles III also took to social media sharing his appreciation for the first responders on the scene in India.

"My wife and I have been desperately shocked by the terrible events in Ahmedabad this morning," he wrote in a social media statement. "Our special prayers and deepest possible sympathy are with the families and friends of all those affected by this appallingly tragic incident across so many nations, as they await news of their loved ones. I would like to pay a particular tribute to the heroic efforts of the emergency services and all those providing help and support at this most heartbreaking and traumatic time."

How many people were on the plane?

Officials say 242 people, including passengers and crew members, were on the Boeing 787-8 aircraft. The passengers included 217 adults, 11 children and two infants, Reuters reported.

Of the passengers, 169 were Indian nationals, 53 were British, seven were Portuguese, and one was Canadian, Air India said on X.

What type of plane was it?

Aviation tracking site Flightradar24 said the plane was a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, one of the most modern passenger aircraft in service.

It was the first crash for the Dreamliner, which began flying commercially in 2011, according to the Aviation Safety Network database. The plane that crashed on June 12 flew for the first time in 2013 and was delivered to Air India in January 2014, Flightradar24 said.

Contributing: Reuters

Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at Paste BN. Story idea? Email her at gcross@usatoday.com.