Bhutan Holds Special Prayer For Ahmedabad Plane Crash Victims, Saudi Prince Offers Condolences
Bhutan held a special prayer ceremony at the Grand Kuenrey of the Tashichodzong in memory of the deceased victims of the June 12 Ahmedabad plane crash.
Bhutan held a special prayer ceremony at the Grand Kuenrey of the Tashichodzong, a prominent Buddhist monastery located in the capital Thimpu, in memory of all the lives lost in the Ahmedabad plane crash on June 12.
The London-bound AI 171 flight departed from Ahmedabad at 1:38 pm on June 12, but within minutes, it crashed into a medical hostel, resulting in an overwhelming loss of lives. Of the 242 people on board, only one managed to survive, while 38 people were killed on the ground, taking the death toll to 279.
Bhutan's King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and his wife Jetsun Pema Wangchuck attended the special prayer ceremony and lit a thousand butter lamps, according to an official statement. They conveyed heartfelt condolences to the government and people of India.
Bhutan's Prime Minister, Chairman of the Royal Privy Council, the Ambassador of India to Bhutan, members of the diplomatic community, senior officials of the Royal Government, and officials of the Government of India were also present at the ceremony.
The passengers comprised 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, 7 Portuguese nationals and 1 Canadian national. Among the deceased was former Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani who was on his way to London to meet his family.
World leaders mourned the devastating tragedy in Ahmedabad. A moment of silence for victims of the plane disaster was held on Saturday at a London birthday parade for King Charles III, in which some members of the royal family also wore black armbands.
The king, 76, requested amendments to the parade, known as Trooping the Colour, 'as a mark of respect for the lives lost, the families in mourning and all the communities affected by this awful tragedy", a Buckingham Palace spokesperson told AFP.
Saudi Crown Prince Offers Condolences To PM Modi
Meanwhile, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman offered condolences to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the victims of the passenger plane crash. He expressed his deepest condolences and sincere sympathy to the Prime Minister, families of the victims, and people of India, while wishing a speedy recovery for the injured, according to an official statement.
The flight, destined for London Gatwick Airport (LGW), carried 230 passengers and 12 crew members. The tragic incident occurred around 1.39 pm local time (08.09 GMT) on Thursday.
Samir Kumar Sinha, Secretary of the Ministry of Civil Aviation, said that the London-bound flight took off at 1.39 pm and crashed at a distance of 2 km from the airport. He confirmed that the pilot sent a Mayday call to the Air Traffic Controller; however, as the ATC tried to contact the plane, no response was received.
Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu on Saturday said that the black box of the aircraft has been recovered and the findings of the report will ascertain how the plane fell from the sky shortly after takeoff.
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tags :
Ahmedabad Plane Crash bhutan Saudi crown prince
Location :
Thimphu, Bhutan
First Published:
June 14, 2025, 20:14 IST
News world Bhutan Holds Special Prayer For Ahmedabad Plane Crash Victims, Saudi Prince Offers Condolences
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