Air India Ahmedabad plane crash: Maharashtra NCP chief Sunil Tatkare's relative among cabin crew

Debris of an Air India plane that crashed moments after taking off from the Ahmedabad airport. Pic/PTI

Maharashtra Nationalist Congress Leader (NCP) chief Sunil Tatkare on Thursday said that senior crew member Aparna Mahadik who was on board the Air India flight that crashed in Ahmedabad is related to him, the PTI reported.

Air India Ahmedabad plane crash took place on Thursday afternoon shortly after take off.

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"Aparna Mahadik is the daughter-in-law of my younger sister. Her family lives in Goregaon area in Mumbai," Sunil Tatkare, MP from Raigad, told PTI.

"My nephew -- Aparna's husband -- is also an Air India cabin crew. He was in Delhi. The Mahadik family has been informed about the tragedy," he said.

Aparna Mahadik (42) was on board the Air India flight AI171 that tragically crashed shortly after take off from Ahmedabad airport in Gujarat.

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner was carrying 242 people.

The London-bound Air India plane carrying 242 passengers and crew crashed in a residential area minutes after taking off from Gujarat's Ahmedabad airport on Thursday afternoon.

In a post on X, Tatkare wrote, "Heartbroken to learn of the Air India flight situation in Ahmedabad today. In these anxious moments, our hearts go out to everyone on board and their loved ones. We stand united with our neighbors in Gujarat and pray for strength during this challenging hour."

Meanwhile, his party chief and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Thursday expressed grief over the Ahmedabad plane crash, and asserted that airlines must re-evaluate their safety protocols and ensure strict adherence to safety standards.

Pawar, currently touring Akola, said the crash was shocking, painful and tragic.

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The entire state of Maharashtra along with the rest of the nation is mourning the tragedy and everyone is standing in solidarity with the affected families, he added.

"The entire incident was extremely distressing. Gujarat police, fire brigade, ambulance services, medical teams and security forces reached the site promptly and carried out immediate rescue and relief operations. However, the loss of lives is immense and irreparable. Although the exact cause of the crash is yet to be determined, it will be revealed after a thorough investigation. Urgent steps must be taken to prevent such tragedies in the future," Pawar said, according to the PTI.

"Airlines must re-evaluate their safety protocols and ensure strict adherence to safety standards to prevent such accidents from occurring again," Pawar said.

(with PTI inputs)