Sports Stars Pay Emotional Tributes to Ahmedabad Air India Plane Crash Victims

There has been a national shock and mourning in the country as a plane crash occurred in Ahmedabad on June 12. An Air India plane destined for London Gatwick Airport crashed shortly after it took off from Ahmedabad at 1:38 PM. The fatal accident killed several people and left several others injured. Among the people on board were 169 Indian nationals and 53 British nationals seven Portuguese nationals and one Canadian. The aircraft was unable to get its proper lift and crashed into the BJ Medical College campus where some students were taking lunch. Reports indicate that five medical students at the college were killed on the spot and several others were injured. The accident caused shock waves through India and the world and the sporting fraternity was one of the first to mourn the loss and be with the bereaved.

As word spread on social media athletes from every part of the country started posting their tributes and showing support to mourning families. India's ODI captain Rohit Sharma referred to the incident as disturbing and heartbreaking. He wrote a post on Instagram wishing all the victims of the crash and their families, praying for them. Virat Kohli, who was also the former captain of the Indian cricket team, wrote an emotional post. He revealed that he was left stunned upon hearing about the crash and wished strength to everyone. His words reflected how greatly the tragedy had affected him and millions of others who heard about it from the media.

PV Sindhu India's two Olympic medalists in badminton also shared a heartfelt message. She referred to the flight number AI-171 and wrote about how it hurt to hear about the horrific crash. Her tribute was full of sorrow and sympathy. She prayed for every one of the 242 passengers on board and wished love and courage to those who were left behind to cope with this tragic loss. Her message was a true representation of the sentiments expressed throughout the nation as people struggled to get their heads around the tragedy.

Cricketer Suresh Raina was one of the many retired players who joined social media to voice their grief.He posted that he was broken and heartbroken.He extended condolences and prayers to all the families who had lost their loved ones and told everyone that the country is united in its sorrow at such a dark time. His colleague and ex-spinner Harbhajan Singh also posted a very emotional long post. He mentioned that he was feeling extremely pained and shocked and went on to say that sometimes words just don't seem sufficient when such tragedies strike. He also wanted all the families who were impacted to have some kind of courage and support in order to get through the loss.

Shikhar Dhawan is another celebrity cricketer who also offered tributes. In a short post, he mentioned that the news of the crash in Gujarat had left him extremely saddened. He wished that the victim families get some strength in these unimaginably tough times. His message like that of many was brief but with emotion and concern. India's former all-rounder Irfan Pathan, who is from Gujarat, was personally touched by the news. He expressed his grief and wished for the safety of the passengers and their families. His message revealed just how close the tragedy had come to home for him and people from the region.

Sports legend Yuvraj Singh too joined the sporting fraternity in offering condolences. He called the event heartbreaking and sent prayers for all involved including the passengers and staff. He wished the families could gather the strength needed to go beyond such a sorrowful moment. Aakash Chopra, who made the switch from cricket to commentary, was also speechless. His tweet was very short but powerful. He just uttered "Ohhh God" and included "Thoughts and prayers." Those few words expressed the sense of desperation that many people felt on learning about the accident.

The accident site was an emotional and chaotic situation as rescue personnel hastened to the area to assist. As the plane crashed into a part of the BJ Medical College campus the situation became more tragic with news that students were trapped in the accident. Most of them were said to be having lunch when the plane crashed. Emergency responders labored day and night to extract survivors from the wreckage and medical professionals did their utmost to nurse the wounded. Some of the victims' identities are yet to be confirmed and investigations continue on what led to the failure of the plane shortly after it took off.

Air India has confirmed that the crash occurred shortly after the aircraft took off from Ahmedabad. The flight was headed to London and had passengers of different nationalities. Air India is closely coordinating with the authorities to assist the families of the victims and investigate the accident thoroughly. Developments are anticipated as authorities proceed to gather evidence and establish what went wrong.

This tragic incident has shocked not just the Gujarati population but the entire nation and people all over the world. Tributes keep pouring in and people from all walks of life have come together in their grief. The sports fraternity of India proved one again that off the field they are human beings first. Their emotional messages provided solace to those in pain and reminded the world that when sorrow strikes unity and compassion are the most valuable things we can give.

Ahmedabad plane crash has left a very sore spot in the hearts of many. Families are mourning and the nation is grieving the loss of life taken too early. As inquiries proceed and rescue operations continue the prayers and thoughts of a whole nation are with the victims. Sportspersons such as Rohit Sharma Virat Kohli PV Sindhu and others have lent their voice to raise awareness of the agony and stand with the affected. Their condolences are a reminder that regardless of how successful or celebrated one is, at the heart we all hurt the same when tragedy falls.