Hyderabad: Hours after Gujarat was struck by a catastrophic air crash, Prime Minister Narendra Modi flew into Ahmedabad and headed straight to the site of the wreckage. The Air India tragedy, which killed at least 265 passengers, has left families shattered and the nation in mourning.
By the time the Prime Minister arrived, rescue teams were still battling smoke and heat as they tried to clear the wreckage strewn across a wide area. Twisted metal, burnt luggage, and pieces of fuselage lay scattered a grim reminder of the chaos that unfolded just a day earlier.
Modi spent considerable time at the scene, listening closely to officials, asking about the sequence of events, and examining what remained of the aircraft. People who were present said he didn’t speak much just watched, walked, and took it all in.
He then met some of the injured who had been rushed to nearby hospitals. Many are still fighting for their lives. At one facility, Modi sat with a young survivor’s family, asking after the boy’s condition. “We’re doing everything we can,” a doctor was heard saying.
Back at the crash site, officials briefed him on the timeline of the crash, the ongoing recovery effort, and the challenges they’ve faced identifying bodies. One official later said the PM was particularly focused on how quickly help had reached the site and whether families had been contacted.
For Gujarat, where Modi’s political journey began, the tragedy felt personal. His visit, subdued but deliberate, seemed to bring some comfort to residents watching from behind cordons. “He knew these roads long before he became Prime Minister,” said a local volunteer at the site.
There was no official speech, no press statement. Just a nod to the rescue workers, and a few words to grieving relatives. Then he left, leaving behind a silent crowd and the dull echo of ambulance sirens still in the air.
