Xi extends condolences after Air India crash

President Xi Jinping extended condolences on Friday to Indian President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to mourn the heavy casualties caused by the crash of an Air India plane on Thursday.

Of the 242 people aboard, 241 were confirmed dead, and the sole survivor — a British national of Indian origin — was being treated in a hospital, according to a statement by Air India.

A total of 265 bodies — including those of 24 people killed on the ground — had already been taken to a government hospital in Ahmedabad, the city where the plane crash occurred, Xinhua News Agency said.

In his message, Xi expressed his shock upon learning about the crash and the heavy casualties.

On behalf of the Chinese government and people, he conveyed deep condolences over the loss of lives, extended sympathy to the injured and to the bereaved families, and wished the injured a swift recovery.

Premier Li Qiang also sent a message of condolence to Modi on Friday.

The flight had 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese nationals and one Canadian aboard, as well as two pilots and 10 cabin crew members, when it crashed at the site of a medical college.

Also on Friday, the Chinese president sent a message of condolence to Britain's King Charles III and expressed shock upon learning of the air crash that caused heavy British casualties.

Xi expressed deep condolences to the victims, conveyed sincere sympathy to the bereaved families and the injured, and wished the injured a speedy recovery.

On the same day, Premier Li also sent a message of condolence to British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

Modi, the Indian prime minister, visited the site of the Air India crash in Ahmedabad, in India's western state of Gujarat, on Friday.

The country's Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu confirmed in a social media post that the Indian government had launched a formal investigation into Thursday's crash.

The Indian government was also establishing a high-level committee comprising experts from multiple disciplines to examine the matter in detail, and "the committee will work to strengthen aviation safety and prevent such incidents in the future", he wrote.

On Thursday, the 12-year-old Boeing 787-8 aircraft went down immediately after takeoff at an altitude of 825 feet and crashed into the premises of BJ Medical College, severely damaging the buildings.

A video of the aircraft flying low and struggling to gain altitude shows the plane going down and exploding in a massive fireball. Parts of the plane were scattered around the college premises.

Chinese Ambassador to India Xu Feihong wrote in a post on X.com on Thursday: "Deeply saddened by the tragic plane crash in Ahmedabad. Our hearts go out to the passengers and their families. We stand in solidarity with all those affected in this difficult time."