N Chandrasekaran, who is chairman of the Tata Group and Air India, on Thursday said that every effort is being made to assist the emergency response teams at the plane crash site and will provide all necessary support to those impacted by the plane crash.
"With profound sorrow, I confirm that Air India Flight 171 operating Ahmedabad London Gatwick was involved in a tragic accident today. Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with the families and loved ones of all those affected by this devastating event," he stated.
Chandrasekaran said that the primary focus is on supporting all the affected people and their families.
A London-bound Air India plane carrying 242 passengers and crew crashed soon after taking off from the Ahmedabad airport on Thursday afternoon. Several casualties are feared, but there is no official statement on this.
The visuals available clearly show the Boeing aircraft losing altitude quickly in the Meghaninagar area near the Ahmedabad International Airport around 2 pm.
Chandrasekaran said an emergency centre has been activated and support teams have been set up for families seeking information.
He also said that further updates will be shared once more verified information is received.
Meanwhile, airline stocks reacted negatively to the Air India plane crash in a locality near the Ahmedabad airport on Thursday afternoon.
Shares of IndiGo or InterGlobe Aviation Ltd dipped 3 per cent to trade at Rs 5,463 at around 2 pm. Similarly, SpiceJet shares fell around 2 per cent to touch the intraday low of Rs 44.30.