As Air India faces a wave of criticism after the tragic crash of its London-bound flight AI171 in Ahmedabad – an accident that claimed over 260 lives and left many more injured – comedian and actor Vir Das has spoken up in support of the airline’s crew.
On Thursday, Das shared a heartfelt Instagram post acknowledging the grief of the victims’ families while also standing by the airline staff during this difficult time.
“It’s a tragic day for so many families. And all our thoughts and prayers are with them,” he wrote. “I’ve flown Air India all my life. It is not an airline without problems but without fail, I know them to be the best crew in the sky.”
Recognising that investigations will eventually reveal what exactly went wrong, Das said he couldn’t begin to imagine how difficult it must be for the crew to keep going after losing their colleagues. “For the crew, just to say one stands with you. And hopes to see you soon on a flight,” he wrote.
Take a look at Vir Das’s post:
The post went viral and was followed by netizens’ reaction to it. A user commented, “Totally echoing with this. Thank you for expressing many of our feelings right now!”
Another user wrote, “Beyond tragic…but yes you summed it up well…prayers for the passengers, the crew and the young doctor’s who were not even part of the flight.”
A third person wrote, “Thats such a thoughtful comment, @virdas as we stew in our own anxieties, its important not to direct our uninformed rage at folks who probably don’t deserve it. Thanks for the gut check!!!!”
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Air India plane crash:
Tragedy struck on Thursday when an Air India’s London-bound flight crashed moments after taking off from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. Just 33 seconds into its ascent, the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner slammed into a building near the doctors’ hostel of BJ Medical College, located in the city’s Meghani Nagar area.
The flight was headed for London Gatwick with 230 passengers and 12 crew members on board. Officials have confirmed that at least 260 lives were lost in the disaster, and among them was former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Ahmedabad on Friday, inspecting the Air India crash site in Meghaninagar alongside senior officials. He then visited Ahmedabad Civil Hospital, met the injured, and spoke with the sole survivor, Vishwas Kumar Ramesh.
